San Francisco's Folsom Street Events produced another fantastic Up Your Alley street fair centered around the Dore Alley and Folsom Street intersection environs on Sunday, July 30. It was sunny and most of the usual vendors were there. The Up Your Alley fair only lasts seven hours on the last Sunday of July, but there are so many events surrounding the Fair that one could
be up almost the whole time and not get any sleep. Here's what we were told:
The Leather and LGBTQ Cultural District commissioned prominent queer artist Serge Gay, Jr., to paint a mural on the Heron Street wall of renowned Leather and gear supplier Mr. S Leather. Located at the corner of 8th Street, the mural depicts a playful human puppy surrounded by images that fit the Mr. S brand. A public dedication of the mural will be held on Thursday, July 27.
Booths and stations filled Folsom Street, 10th Street and Dore Alley where an estimated 25,000 Leatherfolk and kinksters roamed and lurked, many were bare chested or wearing harnesses; some were in full Leather, others in rubber/latex and there was no shortage of pups and handlers. Furries were present as were some of the diapered adults; mostly LGBTQ with a fair representation of the het crowd. Many locals seem to like Up Your Alley as they say it is more intimate that the larger Folsom Street Fair. Deejays pounded out high energy music all day and there was a stage with bondage/kink performers.
The 15 Association was busy around the weekend and at the Fair with a capacity crowd on Saturday for their Dore Play Party at Transform1060 and an Outdoor Dungeon on 10th Street between Folsom and Howard Streets at Up Your Alley. The 15 was coming off a highly successful Boot Camp XXXIII held at Saratoga Springs, CA in June.
The SF Eagle featured FUCK-r SF on Friday night with deejays Tommy Rocker and Manuelito. Disco Daddy Does Dore following the Fair on Sunday with deejay Bus Station John.
The SF Leathermen's Discussion Group staffed the clothes check booth. The men of BLUF SF selected SF LDG as the beneficiary for their In Gear Dinner 2023, at Cadillac Bar and Grill on Thursday night.
The Leather & LGBTQ Cultural District booth at the Up Your Alley featured a special photo booth where hundreds of folks used a step and repeat as a backdrop.
On Wednesday, July 26 the Powerhouse was the venue for Dirty Alley: Dore Edition presented by Mr. S Leather. This preceded the SF Leathermen's Discussion Group monthly meeting at The Academy who's topic was The Art of Renowned Photographer Jim Wigler of Drummer Magazine fame at The Academy. The logjam of Leather and kinksters was at critical mass at the intersection of Dore Alley and Folsom Street.
Of course there was a bootblack section with several bootblacks on hand all day. There was never a dull moment with some of the best bootblacks working.
The Up Your Alley mission statement reads: Up Your Alley is for real players - where Leatherfolk rule the STREETS AGAIN! Show up and show out in your gear: Leather, rubber, or whatever gets you off!
Who we are and how we fuck has always been political. Up Your Alley was founded to champion sexual liberation in a historical time of crisis. We join with everyone fighting for justice, visibility and a new system that upholds us all.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Up-Your-Alley-Dore-at-Folsom/139934909426096
Up Your Alley Gallery
Photographers - Jonathan Villanueva, Nico Vilches Osses, Diego Gal, Estefan Retiz, Matthew Moody, Will Stone and John Burrow
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The Leather Journal was founded in May, 1987. The Leather community was hungry for news magazine that covered clubs, organizations and events. TLJ has successfully met that need for 34 years. We have adapted to change more than once and when the Internet came about we were there by adding www.TheLeatherJournal.com
