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SF’s kinky leather lovers let it all hang out (mostly) at Leather Walk and the Bearrison Street Fair

Attendees stop to commemorate Ringold Alley for Leather Walk in San Francisco on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022. Ringold Alley has small memorials for all current and former landmarks for the Leather and LGBTQ+ community. | Samantha Laurey for The Standard

As the prelude to this Saturday’s second annual Bearrison Street Fair, the 2022 Leather Walk is a mobile celebration of San Francisco’s BDSM and LGBTQ+ communities.

Western SoMa, and in particular Eagle Plaza, has in recent years come to be officially recognized as the epicenter of local queer BDSM—or bondage, domination, sadism and masochism—and kink culture. 

Appropriately, today’s march culminated in a ceremonial Leather Flag raising at Eagle Plaza, in the heart of the city’s Leather and LGBTQ Cultural District. (The Leather Walk is, in part, a fundraiser for the district.) From there, many stuck around, flaunting their creative leather outfits, enjoying drinks at the Eagle Bar—namesake of Eagle Plaza—and enjoying a mild mid-October day.

The Standard was there to capture pictures of the procession, its participants and the revelry that ensued. Flip through the above gallery to get a taste of the action.

The How Weird Street Faire was held the same day in SoMa. For photos of that party, click here.