San Francisco Prepares For Weekend Of Pride Celebrations
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- San Francisco will kick off a full weekend of Pride celebrations starting with the annual Trans March on Friday, and residents are advised to expect street closures and some traffic transit delays.
The Trans March will start at 6 p.m. at Dolores and 18th streets and end at Turk and Taylor streets. It will be preceded by a brunch and rally in Dolores Park starting at 11 a.m., according to organizers.
Drivers should expect to see congested traffic on Market Street during the march, as well as street closures on Taylor Street between Ellis and Eddy streets and Eddy Street between Taylor and Jones streets, according to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.
On Saturday, the official 46th Annual San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride events begin with a celebration at Civic Center Plaza from noon to 6 p.m.
The SF Pride celebration will take a different tone this year, less than two weeks after the Orlando nightclub massacre.
"I think the message is resilience," said politician and LGBT rights activist Tom Ammiano. "That even in the face of that tragedy, we are going to go on, we are going to be strong."
"This weekend is just a reinforcement for us," said Executive Director of SF Pride George Ridgley. "We are in solidarity with each other."
This year's SF Pride celebration will have unprecedented security measures. There will be about 25 percent more officers on the streets, including some undercover police, monitoring the crowds.
People attending the Pride Festival celebration at Civic Center Plaza will have to go through security screening and bag checks. Bags larger than 18 by 18 inches won't be allowed. Attendees should be prepared for long lines to get in.
A number of streets will be closed in the Civic Center area through Monday and Muni buses on the 5 Fulton, 19 Polk and 21 Hayes routes will be rerouted around the area.
Saturday evening, the annual Dyke March and festivities will take place, with the march starting at 6 p.m. at Dolores and 18th streets and ending at Castro and Market streets.
As with the Trans March, a brunch, music and other programming will take place in Dolores Park before the march starting at 11 a.m.
Dolores Street will be closed between 17th and 20th street for the festivities, and Muni lines passing through the area will be affected.
Then on Sunday, the Parade begins at 10:30 a.m. on Market Street at Beale Street. It will end at 8th Street near the Civic Center area, where the second day of the Pride celebration will be taking place from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Parking will be difficult in the areas around Pride events, and those planning to attend are being encouraged to take public transit.
BART officials said they will be opening early on Sunday to accommodate those traveling to the parade, with trains starting at 7 a.m.
Officials described the early start as a test program, and said they will repeat it next year if the earlier trains draw riders.
In general, transit riders should expect to see crowded buses and trains within San Francisco, transit officials said.
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