On June 5th, 1970, some 30 San Franciscans marched down Polk Street—once our city's hub of queer culture—for the first-ever Gay Freedom Day. That small happening would later grow into what we all know and love as San Francisco Pride, which attracted an estimated one million spectators in 2024.
SF Pride takes on its 55th year June 28-29, with an important theme: "Queer Joy is Resistance. The famed parade starts on Sunday at Market and Beale Streets and ends up at Civic Center, where there will be multiple stages for live performances and more than 300 exhibitors and community booths.
No matter how Pride changes from year to year, the message remains the same: inclusivity, acceptance, and love. Take a look back at some of the city's most memorable rainbow moments.
(Courtesy of SFPL)
A crowd of people at the reflecting pool at Civic Center during Gay Freedom Day in 1974. After this, both North Baker Beach and Marshall Beach were legally designated as clothing optional.
Find more coverage of San Francisco Pride at 7x7.com/lgbtq-pride.
