Sex, kink, BDSM, fetish, love & equality fair — LGBTQIAA+
Dore Alley is more than just a festival, it’s a statement. Rooted in the fight for sexual liberation, it champions justice, visibility, and a celebration of who we are. As you walk through South of Market streets filled with high-energy music, kink performances, and the spirit of rebellion, you’ll realize that this event is unique to San Francisco.
Honestly? It’s also a lot of leather harnesses and dick out on fervent display, often on a very hot day, so set your expectations for a naked extravaganza and bring lots of sunscreen.
I remember my early years at this festival feeling liberated to see people so comfortable in their self-expression and sexual freedom. Nowadays it’s quite honestly more like oh, there’s another man in a butt plug getting whipped while a gaggle of penises walks by; It’s hard to shock an OG San Franciscan.
Expect the streets to be lined with booths and stations offering everything from BDSM gear to adult toys. Leather, latex, and rubber will be the dress code of the day, and don’t forget your hankies as more than 10,000 attendees explore their most liberated selves. Whether you’re into bears, pups, or simply curious, Dore Alley provides an inclusive space for all expressions and identities.
Dore Alley is on July 28th from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on 145 9th Street. There’s also a lot going on this week leading up to Sunday’s big finish:
Dirty Alley at Powerhouse — presented by Mr. S Leather
WHEN: July 24 at 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
WHERE: Powerhouse, 1347 Folsom St., San Francisco
Details on Facebook
Mr. S Leather is one of those quintessential San Francisco spots that feels like it’s been there forever — because it pretty much has. Nestled in the heart of SoMa since 1979, this leather emporium has become a beacon for the city’s fetish and BDSM community.
They’re kicking off the week at Powerhouse and Dore Wednesday with a night of fetish demos, go-go dancers, and a promise of the “trashiest bartenders in San Francisco.” If you’re looking for a night that embodies the unfiltered spirit of Dore Alley, this is where you need to be.
Prime at Club 6
WHEN: July 26, 10 PM to 4 AM
WHERE: 60 6th St., San Francisco
Tickets and details on Eventbrite
San Francisco definitely appears in its Daddy era — although I always found daddies in style — and Prime is where to embrace that community. This event at Club 6 celebrates “men in their prime and their admirers,” featuring go-go dancers all over 50. If you’re looking to work out some daddy issues or simply revel in the energy of experienced charm, this is your spot. What began as a 50th birthday bash has now grown into a full-blown celebration of vitality, confidence, and timeless allure.
Horse Market
WHEN: July 26th, 27th and 28th
WHERE: Spritz! 181 Eddy St., San Francisco
More details on tickets and location
Horse Market is aggressively part of the anon scene in a way that I’ve yet to explore. As a bottom, party protocol would have me bound and blindfolded:
The mares [bottoms] arrive before the stallions [tops] and get prepared for the event. They are to strip naked, have their hands bound (lightly) and are then blindfolded. Then the stallions appear and can fully inspect the bound mares at their leisure. When a stallion has decided on a mare, he then leads the chosen mare to a place of his choice to mount. When the stallion has finished covering the mare, this mare is then available for covering by other stallions.
Mares must win a lottery for this privilege. I heard about three parties on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with each day amping up the intensity. Saturday is a special prison-themed event called “Interrogaytion.”
Pretty in Kink at Public Works
WHEN: July 26 from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
WHERE: Public Works, 161 Erie St.
Tickets
The category is 80s kink, or so the event description goes on Instagram: “Be a Heather in Leather, or a Chad in Plaid and plunge into a sexy, tight, 80s fever dream. Think neon, spandex, lycra, latex. A leather harness with booty shorts is great too, fer sure.” RIP Richard Simmons.
Admittedly I’m a little surprised GlamCocks is still doing these in San Francisco. The Burning Man camp had a notable theft some years ago, and to my eyes they sort of re-centered their operation elsewhere after the pandemic. They’re part of an older trend a decade ago when these camps proliferated their parties in our city.
Their Dore Alley party is at Public Works, and I’d expect some circuit party vibes. It’s a fundraiser with one of the cheaper tickets at $55. Here’s a documentary about the GlamCocks.
Stank at Powerhouse
WHEN: July 26th
WHERE: Powerhouse 1347 Folsom St.
Details on Instagram
Don’t like to shower? Have I got the event for you.
Stank is a weekly Friday event at Powerhouse that embraces body odor in its ripest forms. This to me is a very San Francisco event — for as many men who like me to don a dress and heels, just as often am I told to let my body hair grow wild and stop bathing.
Skip a few showers and hit the gym hard to embrace your natural scent for the night. Make sure to arrive before midnight to take part in or watch the infamous Ripe Pits Contest. This event is all about celebrating raw, unfiltered attraction and the visceral connection that comes with it.
Big Muscle Party at DNA Lounge
WHEN: July 29
WHERE: 375 11th St, San Francisco
Tickets
Who doesn’t like a good gun show?
I’ve never been to this party, but it purportedly has the hottest crowd of the weekend, according to Andymatic. “Some of the guys are yooooge! Like water buffalo galloping through amber waves of grain on the dance floor,” he said. “It always makes me want to start a TikTok called Big Guys, Tiny Fans.”
The photos from 2018 in Out Magazine give me verrry circuit party vibes. Really cheap, too! $25 general admission.
Sneaks at The San Francisco Mint
WHEN: July 27th from 10 pm to 4 am
WHERE: San Francisco Mint, 88 5th St., San Francisco
In the myriad fetish offerings for Dore and Folsom Street Fair parties, we have one for shoe sniffing and worshipping athletic wear.
Sneaks is one of San Francisco’s most unique and anticipated fetish parties, organized by the Polyglamorous collective. It’ll go down at the historic San Francisco Mint, providing a spacious setting. The party is known to attract athletic gear enthusiasts; Sneakers are required, singlets encouraged, and don’t wear jeans. Apparently tickets are already sold out but there will be plenty at the door. I seriously have never seen anyone turned away at the door for a San Francisco party; just expect there to be a long line.
At Dore Alley, every corner promises a new adventure. This year’s lineup definitely promises some unforgettable experiences if even you make it to only one or two events on this list — or just to the street fair on Sunday.
Saul Sugarman is editor in chief of The Bold Italic.
The Bold Italic is a non-profit media organization that’s brought to you by GrowSF, and we publish first-person perspectives about San Francisco and the Bay Area. Donate to us today.
Are you looking for even more events this weekend? This guide by Andymatic is exceptionally thorough.
