Tag Archives: Castro

Festivals, LGBT, Politics

IN SAN FRANCISCO’S GAY CASTRO DISTRICT, HALLOWEEN COMES A DAY EARLY

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imageSan Francisco, California (The Adobo Chronicles) – For several years now, San Francisco has not seen a Halloween street celebration in the gay Castro district. The annual event has been shut down due to stabbing and other incidents that have marred the otherwise peaceful and fabulous showcase of LGBT tricks and treats. But San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and District 8 Supervisor Scott Wiener found a way to get around it.

On October 30, the eve of Halloween, Castro Street will be closed to make way for a made-up community celebration : the ribbon cutting of the Castro Street Improvement Project. Others are calling it a celebration of months and months of disruptive deconstruction and construction. The project involved the widening of the sidewalks, the narrowing of the street, the installation of typo-ridden memorial plaques and the much-ballyhooed painting of rainbow-colored crosswalks.

Inside sources however confirmed that the celebration is really meant to restore the Halloween street party in the Castro, albeit a day early. “Everyone knows the Castro queens will come in their Halloween costumes,” the sources said.

So it’s party time. Come celebrate the return of Halloween in the Castro.  But hush. We’re calling it  a ribbon-cutting. Booo!

 

Law Enforcement, LGBT

SPECIAL CROSSWALK FOR DRUNKS IN SAN FRANCISCO’S CASTRO DISTRICT

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imageSan Francisco, California (The Adobo Chronicles) – Earlier this month, the City of San Francisco unveiled the rainbow crosswalk in the Castro District. The crosswalk at the intersection of Castro and 18th Streets — painted in the colors of  the gay rainbow flag — is part of the Castro redevelopment project designed to revitalize the center of gay-ness in the city.

Today, Scott Wiener, who represents the Castro district on the county board of supervisors, announced the next phase of the redevelopment project. It involves the setting up of additional crosswalks on either side of 18th Street where most of the gay bars are located.

Wiener said that the new zig-zaggy crosswalks will be for the benefit of gay drunks who crisscross 18th Street to hop from one bar to another. “Let’s face it, gay drunks can’t walk in a straight line so setting up crooked pedestrian lanes will help them cross the street without being embarrassed,” the supe said.

One crosswalk will be set up between the Toad Hall and The Edge bars and another between the Midnight Sun and SF Mix.

The new crosswalks will be ready in time for Halloween.

Festivals, LGBT, Local News

2014 HALLOWEEN IN THE CASTRO CANCELLED; FEW HAVE SIGNED UP FOR GAY REGISTRY

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halloween1San Francisco, California (The Adobo Chronicles) – Last year, The Adobo Chronicles reported that Halloween in the Castro is set to return in 2014 with certain restrictions.

The City and County of San Francisco and the sponsors of the event, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, agreed that only certified gay men and women will be allowed entry into the October 31st street festival.  This was  aimed at weeding out straight revelers who were said to be responsible for stabbing and shooting incidents in the past.

As part of the agreement, members of the LGBTQ community will have to register with San Francisco’s City Hall and be included in a “gay registry.”  Registrants, who will take an oath admitting that they are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or questioning, will be issued special identification cards linked to the official registry.  The IDs will be the only accepted pass to gain entry to the Halloween event. ID’s will be scanned at entrances to the event to confirm that individuals are listed in the official registry.

The registration period began on October 1, 2013 and ends on October 30, 2014.  However, as of today, City Hall is reporting that only 180 people have signed up for the gay registry.  “This number is not sufficient to justify street closures on Halloween night,” said Scott Wiener, who represents the Castro District on the Board of Supervisors. “We therefore have no choice but to cancel the event.”

Sister Mary Clarence of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence has no logical explanation for the low number of sign-ups for the gay registry. “I can only speculate that many baby boomer LGBTs no longer enjoy gay-themed Halloween parties, or that the younger generation of LGBTs are choosing to stay or get back in the closet,” she said.

A Castro resident who spoke on condition of anonymity thinks that with recent progress in marriage equality and LGBT rights, people in our community no longer feel the need for a separate Halloween celebration.