From Berlin to San Francisco: How Folsom Street Fair stacks up globally

As San Franciscans, we are justifiably proud of the Folsom Street Fair — our annual homegrown kink and fetish street fair that just celebrated its 41st year this past Sunday. With anywhere from 250,000 to 400,000 attendees, it is by far the largest leather event in the world, and the third biggest street festival in California, just after the Rose Parade in Pasadena, and our own San Francisco LGBT Pride Parade celebration.

As someone fairly active in San Francisco’s kink scene — I’m a resident DJ at Playland, Cat Club’s weekly Wednesday fetish party — I’ve been singing the praises of Folsom to out-of-towners for years, smugly describing the debaucherous scenes on the streets, and the amazing fetish fashion. But compared to the BDSM scenes in other progressive cities, is it really as special as we all think it is?

This past weekend, I was fortunate enough to have two sets of friends from other countries visiting San Francisco to attend Folsom Street Fair for the first time, all of them movers-and-shakers in fetish clubs in their respective cities, Berlin and Vancouver.

So what I wanted to know was: Is Folsom Street Fair really as cool as we all think it is?

“It’s a very unique experience,” said Evilyn13, a popular Canadian fetish model and DJ, and co-owner of Restricted Entertainment, which she runs with her partner Isaac, aka DJ Pandemonium. Together they produce Canada’s longest-running monthly fetish party, Sin City, as well as Vancouver Fetish Weekend, among other events.

Evilyn13 was surprised at the diversity at Folsom Street Fair. “I came expecting it to be an event mainly for gay men,” she said. “And while the majority of participants were, I was pleasantly surprised to see a variety of body types, sexual orientations, genders, fun outfits, and beautiful people, showcasing the sexual freedom of its attendees.”

“I was promised kinky outdoor street side shows, exhibitionists, perverts, and vendors, and I did not leave disappointed,” she said. “What really sets Folsom apart is that when they say anything goes — they aren’t joking. If you have a fetish, you’re likely not to be the only one indulging in it this weekend.”

Okay, so of course the nice kinky Canadians loved it. Folsom Street Fair is a sprawling celebration of all things fetish, stretching several blocks in the heart of San Francisco’s SoMa district. It’s a place where leather, latex, and lingerie are as common as the crowds, where you can spot everything from puppy play enthusiasts to bondage aficionados flaunting their kinks with pride. The fair hosts booths selling custom fetish gear, BDSM toys, and even sex-positive art, alongside live performances that cater to every taste.

At least that’s the pitch; How did this stack up to the notoriously snooty Berliners? Jupiter Gatling is a resident DJ at Piepshow, the monthly queer techno party that’s the biggest club night at Berlin’s legendary and long-running KitKatClub, infamous for its strict dress code — if you aren’t dressed in lingerie, harness straps, or some other sort of fetishwear, you aren’t getting in.

And her bestie, Erika Berenford, is the bartender at the main bar, where she slings drinks wearing nothing more than black fishnets and sharply drawn eyebrows. This is the kind of Berlin nightclub where one can fuck on beds in the corner, see a rope suspension, jump in the club’s pool, or just take drugs and dance. Needless to say, the Germans do fetish parties a little more hardcore than Americans and Canadians.

“It was fun, but it mostly felt like a cute shopping street,” said Jupiter, referring to all the independent fetishwear designers and BDSM toy vendors selling their wares in booths lined up and down Folsom Street. “It’s cool to have these shops all in one place.”

“However, as far as action goes, you get more in just one room at KitKat than I saw all together today.” Then she paused and reconsidered one thing. “Well, except for the guy in the kiddie pool of pee. Just sitting there, taking load after load of piss, living his best life.”

Her Italian-German friend was more impressed. “I think Folsom is definitely a must-do if you’re in the fetish scene,” said Erika. “I really liked it! But I was expecting more BDSM play on the street, and also in the clubs.”

“It’s only this one day of the whole year,” she said. “I feel like Americans have to be more free. You all should do it more!”

But we did have a lot going on — even though it’s true that even house parties and orgies charge for entry in SF. Rent is expensive!

Folsom Street Fair is never just a street party but an entire weekend of events, ranging from the relatively tame to the absolutely wild. On Saturday, The Bold Italic went to Folsom Princess at Oasis, featuring RuPaul’s Drag Race star Katya shaking her fake nipples for tips. That led into a fairly quiet house party above Power House on Folsom and Dore streets — with two sex rooms, multiple slings and a dungeon, naturally.

Then there’s Horse Market, which is clear on the other end of the mild-mannered: the annual sex party that has hooded bottoms getting anonymous poundings. And of course I told her that we also have the Dore Alley Street Fair — an unapologetic embrace of leather culture, fetishes, intimacy, and sexual freedom. Its origins date back to the mid-1980s, when it emerged as a more intimate counterpart to this past weekend’s festivities. We often call it Folsom’s “dirty little brother” because it tends to attract a more gay-male centric following.

But they’ll have to save that for another trip to San Francisco.

Adriana Roberts is a DJ and performer with her Bootie Mashup parties, as well as a writer and trans influencer.

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