Drag performers are kicking up their heels at Financial District bars, Salesforce Park, and even Ocean Beach in a series of free drag shows for Pride Month.

The Financial District German restaurant and beer hall Schroeder’s celebrated its 130th anniversary last week, but in those 130 years, it had not hosted a drag show. That is, until Thursday, June 1, the first day of Pride Month, when Schroeder’s hosted Drag Me Downtown, a Pride Month set of Thursday night drag shows scheduled from 5-7 p.m. at downtown San Francisco venues that do not generally host this sort of event.

“When you think of the downtown Financial District, you don't think of drag at all,” Robbie Silver, executive director of the Downtown SF Partnership that’s organizing Drag Me Downtown, told KPIX.  “For many of the small businesses in San Francisco, this is their first time hosting something like this.”

One of these events is today, Thursday June 15, though its not a bar, it’s at the floral boutique Nigella (Scheduled performers include Bobby Friday, Nicki Jizz, Jota Mercury, Cream, and Cream Fraîche). The shows are free, though if you do a $10 preregistration, you’ll get a Pride fan and a rainbow boa, and those proceeds go to Trans Thrive.

Drag Me Downtown shows are also scheduled for June 22 at One Market Restaurant, and June 29  at Pagan Idol.

On the other side of town, on the shores of Ocean Beach, SFGate reports today on a sunset drag show on the beach called Golden Hour. Shows are scheduled this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 7:30 p..m. And it’s not just a Pride Month thing, as the Golden Hour Instagram details these ocean shore drag shows have been happening since 2019.

“It touches on the Shakespeare quote of ‘all the world’s a stage,’” Golden Hour co-founder Syzygy told SFGate. “There’s something magical about people walking along a beach and stumbling on a drag show. It exposes people who might not otherwise go to a queer bar or drag event.”

And another drag queen takeover is happening this Saturday at Salesforce Park. Un Viaje: Pride at the Park is part of a recurring series of outdoor shows featuring drag organized by Latin-folk group Banda Sin Nombre (whose vocalist Shane Zaldivar was the 2022 Foxy Mary contest winner), and stage performers include Persia, Donna Personna, Shane Zaldivar, La Katia, and MamaDora.

Un Viaje says in a release that, "In the current context of drag bans and attacks on transgender identities across the country, more than ever San Francisco represents a sanctuary for gender expression and the arts." Saturday’s 3-6 p.m. show is free, and all ages are welcome.

Related: Oaklash Drag and Queer Performance Festival et to Serve More Punk Realness In Its Sixth Year [SFist]

Top image: Photo by Ronny Preciado