S.F. Pride 2025: An electric start at the El Rio after party

Now that it’s 10 p.m., it officially means it’s celebration time, and Mango at El Rio is in full swing. After long, drawn-out excitement from a bright hot day, what’s needed most is to let loose and have a drink.

If you’ve never been to El Rio, you’ll be able to find the event from the line spilling outside onto the street. And although the line is arguably a party itself, the real party doesn’t start until you get inside. Beyond the barrier of a $30 cover, it’s all-in-all kind of worth it, if you ask me.

There’s hardly anyone standing still. The crowd is positively moving, probably because the DJs are actually good — which in the San Francisco club scene, is arguably a rarity.

The air smells like tequila breath but in the way that almost everybody is kissing. There are virtually no men, and almost every song is about twerking — this might just be lesbian heaven.

– Jordan Montero

As golden hour settled over the Mission, Dolores Park began to thin out — never quite reaching the peaks of attendance of other years. What was once a quilt of flags and people almost impossible to navigate, now had a swervy but attainable network of beaten paths to reach friends and chosen family. Even the 5G worked!

So who was missing? And why?

It was not evidently clear. Mexican and Californian flags waved in their original and rainbow-themed customizations. Groups marked their territories with shoes or bottles of Buzzball Biggies. They littered the green with signs that read “Dykes against Israel,” “Chinga tu Migra,” while dancing to reggaeton tunes on the higher slopes of the park, EDM monopolizing the lower level.

Who was missing? In a year of communal fear and grief, there are multiple candidates.

For those who were able to attend, the politics of solidarity weren’t just chat. They were embodied on the blanket dance floors.

“Queer rights are immigrant rights are human rights,” said a trans man identified only as Max, 26, while holding a “No Pride in Genocide” sign.

The music was still playing here and there when voluntary recyclers started going around picking up crumpled beer cans. Some looked tired — others just ready to move on. To Mango. To Indie Oasis. To house parties in Oakland!

“Gotta save money and energy for yet another day,” said Daniel Sanchez, wrapped in a Salvadoran flag, finding his way back to the BART station.

But, if you’re still out, now’s the time to recharge, regroup and reapply your eyeliner. Whether you’re headed to a club, a friend’s rooftop or your kitchen dance floor, may the spirit of Dolores be with you.

– Liliana Michelena

The Dykes are revving their engines and preparing for take off. Elders and youth alike are mounting their steeds and preparing to lead the loop through the Mission, Castro and eventually back to Dolores Park. 

Behind them is a couple of salsa dancers and a band, banging on drums and bongos, while also shaking maraca-esque instruments. Just another festive contingent finding new ways to express lesbian joy. 

Around them are swelling groups of sapphic, queer and trans Palestine protestors, expressing pride and an end to the genocide. There are almost as many keffiyehs as there are rainbow flags. Amongst the crowd there are signs about immigrant rights, queer rights and free hormones. 

As the bikes take off so does the crowd, following close behind the parade leaders. The parade ends in a crowd of cheers, dancing and unbridled joy. 

-Jordan Montero

It’s 2 p.m. and the Dyke March is tits out and swinging — literally. 

The DJs have seemingly multiplied with micro-boiler room sets taking over the park. Each with their own entourage, groupies and crowds in different sections of the grass. 

There are free snow cones, bead bracelet making and hits of joints if you ask someone nicely. The tents have been covered in “camps” named “Camp Beaverton,” “Camp Wet Beaver” and “Slumber Party.” There are swinging pole dancers, flogging-kinksters and drunk people practically everywhere. 

The usual crowd of vendors have been joined in tandem with queer entrepreneurs selling everything from jello-shots to homemade mixed drinks to DIY lesbian merch. 

What started out as a tame kickback has turned into a full on rager. Beavers, bushes and butches and all. 

-Jordan Montero

Shimmy-able music and families chattering fills the air at the Castro Family Pride Block Party. At the corner of Market and Noe, family-friendly fun is promised until 5 p.m. in what event-goers are calling one of the only truly family friendly Pride events this weekend. 

The event, according to event producer Chris Carrington, co-founder of CG Events, is designed to catch people simply wandering about the neighborhood. It’s vibrant yet moderately paced atmosphere invites those of all ages and energy levels to come take a look. 

The party owes that farmers market-esque appeal in large part to the 14 vendors lining the streets, tempting with everything from jewelry and ceramics to scarves and loudly patterned shirts. 

And in the center of it all, is the Fun Zone. With kindergarten-sized chairs and tables, and coloring pages scattered invitingly for the next eager toddler, families are flocking to the occasion. Clearly a toddler favorite, a giant inflatable igloo blows rainbow confetti in a globe of vibrant colors as children exclaim and giggle with glee. 

One of the challenges of the event is evidently getting one’s children to leave the magical igloo. 

– Allie Skalnik

It’s 11 a.m. and the Dyke March is already pumping. People are popping up their tents all over the Dolores Park lawn: vendors are setting up cups of fruit and beverages, and Dykes begin to set up their tailgates – comically large bags of chips and all.

The Dyke March official opening began with a thud. The performances were moving and empowering — if you were sitting in the front section of the lawn, where almost nobody was. Bates with family and friends opened the day with indigenous songs and drums and yet virtually nobody stopped their own EDM beats. 

The gay men are sequestered to their perch on the upper left side of the park. Up there, there is no shortage of DJ sets and speedos, all under a mist of sunscreen. 

By 11:30 a.m. the park has nearly doubled in size with every kind of butch, femme and dyke — all with their friends, family and children.

— Jordan Montero

After last night’s sweaty dancefloors and rooftop rendezvous, the city’s just rubbing its eyes and reaching for iced coffee—but make no mistake: the main event is here. Today, Dolores Park becomes a technicolor sea of picnic blankets, speakers, and uninhibited joy—emphasis on uninhibited. Expect shade structures that could be runway-ready, booming cumbia and house sets, and a steady flow of cold drinks and chosen family reunions.

If you’re heading to Dolores, plan around peak crowd o’clock—roughly noon to 4 p.m.—and bring your own water (and TP if you’re a planner; bathrooms are scarce and can get wild). Reception can be spotty, so choose a meet-up tree and text early. And remember: the most solid Pride connection is IRL. Keep an eye here as we bounce around the park and beyond today, soaking it all in.

— Liliana Michelena