Castro Street Fair Returns to San Francisco with Pride Costumes, Vaccinations

The hottest day in San Francisco is October in the Castro.

Costumed attendees and vendors were out in full force Sunday for the 47th annual Castro Street Fair, which returned this year after a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Stalls selling tie-dyed shirts with “thirsty” printed on them abutted impromptu street dance parties and DJ performances. 

Attendees, in varying degrees of dress and undress, said they were there to celebrate Pride and support the city’s small businesses after a difficult year.

Event organizers also partnered with the San Francisco Department of Public Health, setting up a COVID-19 vaccination and testing area on Market and Noe Streets.

Funds collected at the entry gates will be distributed to neighborhood nonprofit groups, according to the event’s website. In 2019, proceeds were shared with groups like Queer Life Space, Castro Community On Patrol and the Bears of San Francisco, among others.

Photos by Camille Cohen.