A funny little news item appeared over the weekend connecting the fact the San Francisco Marriott had signed on as a sponsor of this year's Folsom Street Fair, and the company is still managed by the Marriott family, who are Mormon, and probably not that into bondage. While Marriott itself may not have donated to the Prop 8 campaign, the Mormon Church certainly did, and it's kind of wacky that Marriott would be giving money to such a pervy street fest!

But, as the Chronicle points out, the fair and its vendors have become noticeably tamer in recent years, perhaps in part due to the pressures of big corporate sponsors like American Airlines and Kimpton Hotels. Sure, you still see plenty of erect penises on the street, but not in the vendors' booths anymore, and the crowd is now a mixed bag that includes some families and East Bay tourists and the like.

The hotel is just looking out for its bottom line, of course; and given the massive number of gay and fetish tourists who come to town for the fair each year, they can't afford to discriminate. Still, fascinating...

[Chron]