Folsom Street Fair

The Folsom Street Fair was born out of a desperate need for neighborhood survival. In 1984, the South of Market area faced aggressive redevelopment plans that threatened to demolish the very blocks where the city's leather subculture had established its sanctuary. Organizers Michael Valerio and Kathleen Connell launched the event, originally called Megahood, as a strategic act of resistance to prove the neighborhood was a vital, occupied community rather than the blighted zone developers claimed. They intentionally invited the public to see the humanity and organization of the residents, using the fair to cement the district's identity on the city map.