The Dore Alley scene will switch to a “Mask mandatory, pants optional” Folsom Street Market (where you can get vaccinated!), but plenty of other leather parties are bearing down this weekend, too.
There’s a new holy trinity of late summer San Francisco leather events, but things are obviously bound to look different under COVID-19. In previous years, the last weekend in July hosted the Dore Alley Fair a.k.a. Up Your Alley Fair, a smaller, gayer, more ass-play-friendly warmup to Folsom Street Fair. This year, a scaled-down Folsom Street Fair (Sept. 26) will return to with its original name Megahood, a new event called Bearrison Street Fair will doff shirts on October 23, and this Sunday marks the sort-of in-person return of a sort-of Dore Alley Fair, anchored by an open-air shopping bazaar called Folsom Street Market (11 a.m. - 6 p.m.).
We submit to you this top-to-bottom list of Sunday’s South of Market Dore Alley parties, meetups and beer busts, but we’ve only listed events for this Sunday, July 25. For the total package of this weekend’s BDSM, kink, and leather parties (with awesome names like Underwear Thursdays, Manimal Fridays, and Pig Boy), check out the San Francisco LGBTQ events at FA-Word.
Folsom Street Market (11 a.m. - 6 p.m.)
Sunday’s “fair” is stripped down to more of a resource fair with LGBTQ and leather-interest vending booths, but the above map shows who will be where. Ironically, none of the booths are located on Dore Alley itself, they’re mostly on Folsom Street and 10th Street. But they will have free vaccination and COVID-19 testing on-site, and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence will have free masks to meet the “Mask mandatory, pants optional” requirement. (Donation suggested)
Booze will not be served at the Folsom Street Market, as Folsom Street Events executive director Angel Adeyoha tells the Bay Area Reporter that "we want to support the bars and venues that have had an awful year." And to that end, these and other South of Market bars and parties will be happy to fulfill your to-go cocktail desires.
Powerhouse (11 a.m. - 2 a.m.)
They’ll be going at it all day at Powerhouse, which is conveniently located within the Folsom Street Market area. The DJs start at 3 p.m. with Jason Godfrey, with Eddie House at 6 p.m., and their afterparty Aftermath at 9 p.m. with Dakota Pendent spinning. (Free — proof of vaccination required)
OASIS does DORE (2 p.m. - 8 p.m.)
As evidenced by the name, Oasis Does Dore is the Dore Alley party at the Oasis, with DJ Ryan Andrews (2-5 p.m.), DJ Pumpkin Spice (5-8 p.m.) and visuals by Vis-a-Vis. ($5, tickets here - proof of vaccination required)
Dore’Wood (3 p.m. - 10 p.m.)
Driftwood’s during-and-afterparty Dore’Wood has DJ Chuck Gunn and DJ Since Forever on the decks, drink specials, and no cover. (Free)
Market Daze @ Lone Star Saloon (2 p.m. - 10 p.m.)
There's a full weekend of parties at Lone Star starting Friday with a party called Pig Boy, and on Sunday, they'll be at it all day with DJs Paul Goodyear and E. Feld. ($5)
Xanadude (7 p.m. - 2 a.m.)
The reopened SF Eagle has a true old-style T-Dance afterparty Xanadude with DJs Paul Goodyear and Phil B. (Free)
Be aware that several of these venues require proof of vaccination for entry. And yes, you can get vaccinated for free at the Folsom Street Market, but you are not fully vaccinated until two weeks after your second shot.
Related: [Semi-NSFW] The Dirty 30-Year History of the Up Your Alley Fair (AKA Dore Alley) [SFist]
"Top" Image: Joe Kukura, SFist