This weekend marks the 43rd Folsom Street Fair in San Francisco. To say it has achieved the status of gay ritual is an understatement: The event has happened every year since 1984 (with a virtual-only edition in 2020) and has seen, through the decades, many revolutions in the sex lives of queer people.
Folsom has been, at times, a protest and a site of community mourning, particularly in its earliest years: Folsom was born out of the AIDS crisis and a fight to save San Francisco's leather bars from redevelopment.
It has seen the advent of lifesaving drugs like PrEP. It has run through the 1980 film Cruising and the Fifty Shades of Grey franchise, through eight presidential administrations, from Ronald Reagan to Donald Trump's second term, and through a recent rise in anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes: FBI data shows such crimes hitting a record high in 2023 before dipping in 2024, though they remain above pre-2020 levels. Through it all, there's Folsom.
Now the festival happens again in the Trump years, unapologetic and undeterred as ever: a space where you can truly fly your freak flag, meet others, and explore.
If this is your first time going (no shame, everyone is a beginner at some point), I can say: Yes, you will see nudity. You might even see public sex. You'll see a crowd adorned in leather harnesses and jock straps, rubber, buckles, hoods, and all kinds of fetish gear.
You might see a dominatrix leading her gagged, drooling sub around on a dog leash. By "sub," I mean a grown man with genitals out, a scrotum hung with metal weights. He might be wagging a puppy-tail butt plug.
There may be a leather drag queen sporting giant black devil horns. There may be a small group of naked people just sitting and chilling, just enjoying being naked. Every year, I've seen someone dressed in a full-body latex horse costume. I love it all, love everyone feeling as free as they can, and I hope you love it too.
The Folsom Street Fair is the largest outdoor leather, kink, and BDSM event in the world. It happens every year in September in San Francisco's South of Market district. Whether this is your first or your fiftieth time going, here are my tips.
1. You may have read this before.
If you've seen a different version of this piece somewhere else, I promise we're not plagiarizing. I've written a few versions of this for our sister publication, The Advocate: the list first ran in 2016 as "38 Folsom Street Fair Dos and Don'ts", then again in 2017 as a tighter list of 27 tips. Each time, I come to it with a bit more knowledge about Folsom, and about myself.
2. DO come with an open mind and kind intentions.
The city will be filled with kinksters (kinky people) of all body types, interests, and fantasies. Queues might be long, restaurants might be full, and friends might be difficult to reach in the mess. Be patient with everyone. Local businesses prepare for weeks to accommodate the influx of visitors.
Once you're at the fair itself, you might see things you don't like or aren't interested in. That's really the best part: to preview scenes you don't necessarily run in. Allow them to celebrate what they love, and let yourself do the same.
3. DO leave your pets (nonhuman ones) and children at home.
Around 400,000 people are coming. They will be crammed into 13 city blocks. Expect dense, standing-room-only crowds, warm temperatures, and over-the-top getups. It gets cramped.
Walking a dog or pushing a stroller is impossible in parts of the fair. As much as we love dogs, this fair is for human ones as well as all other human pets (leather ponies, rubber kitties, and so on).
The Folsom Street Fair is a place of adult revelry, one of the few places where you can freely walk around in as much or as little clothing as possible, where you can show off your kinks, where you can go nude (only on the fairgrounds, of course), and more.
While we all appreciate parents who are open-minded and welcoming of human sexuality enough to bring kids along, fairgoers themselves don't want them there.
4. DO get good sleep beforehand.
If you're a kinky queer person, chances are you'll see people you know. And hopefully you'll meet lots of new people! All this is to say: The fair is an exhausting social exercise, so get plenty of sleep so that your social battery is full before you go.
Two attendees dressed head-to-toe in black fetish gear pose during Folsom Street Fair weekend in San Francisco.
Brontë Wittpenn/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images
5. DO hydrate.
Kink looks tend to be hot and heavy, and you'll be walking through crowded city blocks under the sun with few places to sit.
Bring water. Organizers also run hands-free water dispensers throughout the fair this year, so you're not entirely on your own. It might not be the sexiest thing to plan around, but staying hydrated makes a real difference.
6. DO support the shops, businesses, and organizations that will have booths there.
For a business to have a booth and visual presence at Folsom is a big deal. It means they're not afraid of being associated with sex and kink, and that they're proudly queer-friendly. Those are the businesses I want to support. Many of them are brands that show up year after year. They're there early setting up, and their workers have a long day selling and talking to fairgoers; they don't get to have as much fun as you do as an attendee. So support them and be patient with them.
7. DON'T touch anyone's gear or anyone's body without asking for permission first, no exceptions.
Even in a sexually free space, consent applies and always will. Don't touch without permission, even if what you want to touch is something you consider completely nonsexual, like the feathers on someone's boa or a drag queen's headdress. Never touch without asking.
8. DON'T take photographs of anyone, no matter what.
This is a hard rule. A selfie is not worth ruining someone's life or career. Always ask before taking pictures, as some people don't want to be photographed. Some closeted kinksters are only able to express themselves at Folsom. Don't destroy it for them.
9. DO bring sunscreen.
The fair is outdoors. You can always dip into one of the many kinky leather bars on Folsom Street to cool down.
10. DON'T bring too much. You don't need every sex toy you own.
I usually bring a drawstring bag filled with essentials: cash, wallet, phone, emergency douche nozzle, and one bottle of poppers. For some guys, this is too much. For others, not enough.
In recent years, there have been places to check a bag at the fair entrances (worth confirming exact locations closer to the date, since these shift year to year). The organizers ask attendees not to bring glass bottles, cans, or any weapons, obviously. Since there will be a bag check, keep it light.
An attendee wears a transparent fetish bodysuit with black detailing at Folsom Street Fair in San Francisco.
Brontë Wittpenn/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images
11. DO wear something more covering to the fair and check it when you're there.
It's the law. Unfortunately, you can't walk through San Francisco nude, or even nearly nude. Depending on what you wear, you might have to wear something more covering and check it once you're there.
In recent years, there have been clothing check stations. Make sure you pick up your items by 6 p.m., when the fair shuts down completely.
12. DO bring cash.
It's always wise to carry cash at Folsom. Some vendors are cash-only.
13. DO bring your own lube.
San Francisco's dry air is no friend to bodies working hard in leather and rubber all day. Whatever's happening, on the fairgrounds or later, having your own bottle beats borrowing from a stranger or hunting down a vendor. Water-based is the safe default with condoms and most toys; silicone-based lasts longer for certain kinds of play but breaks down silicone toys and takes more effort to wash off. Bring more than you think you'll need. Nobody has ever complained about too much lube.
14. DON'T laugh, gawk, or tease anyone.
If you feel you might be tempted to giggle at naked men or women, stay home. Folsom is a nonjudgmental, body-positive, shame-free space. Let it remain so for people who appreciate it, including those who may live in conservative, rural areas and only get to experience a shameless environment once a year here.
15. DO talk to people.
If you don't know what to say, compliment someone on how they look; this is the easiest way to make an introduction.
If they're doing something in public that's intentionally showy (tying someone up to a bicycle stand or a lamppost, covering someone in slime) and you're interested in what they're doing, gently and politely ask if you can ask them questions about it. You'll quickly see if they're focused on the scene they're having or if they're willing to offer advice and instruction.
Remember, some people just want to put on a show, while others are happy to teach and talk. You're always allowed to ask, since by virtue of being there, they have invited the public into their activity and should expect questions.
Don't talk too long or dominate their time, and if they're showing signals of wanting to keep moving, let them. But many people will be glad to talk about what they're doing, what they're wearing, and what they're into.
Folsom Street Fair attendees pose in fetishwear in San Francisco. A banner for Alexander Cheves’s My Love Is a Beast: Confessions appears in the background.
Brontë Wittpenn/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images
16. DO expect to have your toes stepped on and dress accordingly.
No open-toe shoes. Your toes will get stepped on, potentially by leathermen in heavy steel-toe boots.
17. DO expect close quarters with other people.
Yeah, you might get touched. Everyone (including and especially the event organizers) stresses the importance of consent, of asking first before you touch.
Sadly, some folks still don't respect this rule. If someone persistently or aggressively touches without your consent, tell someone working there.
Other aspects of close quarters exist: lack of personal space, sweat, long lines. Mentally prepare yourself.
18. DO bring a sweat rag/T-shirt.
I keep a sweat rag with me the whole time. Trust me, you'll need it.
19. DO arrive in the city a day or two early.
Most of SoMa (South of Market) will be on lockdown. Don't expect to casually drive in on the day of the fair. Come a day (or more) early and take public transportation to the fairgrounds.
Fetish-themed artwork depicts leather hoods, a jockstrap, and handcuffs in San Francisco.
Michael Macor/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images
20. DO try to see more of San Francisco!
San Francisco is a beautiful city. It's worth hiking around (get ready for some cardio, as the hills are intense). There's good food all over the city, so ask a local what places they recommend. Take a ferry to Sausalito or visit Fisherman's Wharf.
21. DO ask for help if you need it.
There will be volunteers in orange vests as well as Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence present to help you find the nearest restroom or ATM, find the clothing check, find the exit, find public transport, and so on. Ask for help.
22. DO remember that Folsom is built for every body.
Folsom Street Events makes real accessibility investments each year, and not just a parking accommodation. Expect a public health village at the main entrance offering vaccines and sexual wellness screenings, seating at every community performance stage, additional ADA parking on Howard, 7th, and Harrison near the entrances, a dedicated wellbeing space run by Mukunda Studio at 1228 Folsom Street, onsite medical and first-aid care, and water refill stations throughout the fairgrounds.
Body liberation is the whole point of Folsom, and that includes making room for whatever kind of support your body needs to enjoy the day.
23. DO note the fair HQ location before you go.
Fair headquarters sits at 1401 Folsom, which is also where the safety team is stationed. If you lose something, get separated from someone, or need help beyond what a roaming volunteer can offer, that's the place to go.
24. DO donate money to the organizers: it's important.
There's no admission fee, but donations to Folsom Street Events, the nonprofit that arranges the fair every year (along with Up Your Alley), are welcome and appreciated. Suggested gate donations run about 10 to 20 dollars, though nothing is required. If you love Folsom, help it continue. Every dollar counts.
25. DO something you've never done before.
This is the time to try that kink or explore that fetish you've always had in the back of your head but have never found playmates to enjoy it with. Bone up on the hanky code and talk to people who seem sexy and interesting. Folsom is a great time to try something for the first time.
26. DO go to the before/after parties.
"Folsom weekend" is about so much more than the fair. Indeed, for many visitors, the fair itself becomes something like an afterthought: they go there for the parties.
There are a lot of awesome fetish events, parties, and nightlife happening throughout the city on Folsom weekend, and the party lineup around the fair has only grown busier in recent years. Aftershock Folsom, one of the weekend's longest-running after-hours parties, is marking its 30th anniversary this year, alongside newer heavy hitters like Magnitude and Matinée's Pervert XXL.
Take advantage of them, and plan in advance; by the time you arrive, many parties may be sold out, so get tickets in advance.
That said, don't be discouraged if you can't get a ticket to the sexy dance party of your dreams. People are having kinky play sessions across the city. Go to bars in SoMa or the Castro; they'll be busy. Meet guys online. Cruise.
Festivalgoers admire and photograph attendees dressed in fetish gear at Folsom Street Fair in San Francisco.
Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images
27. DO look out for each other. Harm reduction saves lives!
Folsom is far from a drug-ridden event; in fact, you'll find many, many people who stay sober the whole time. If you're looking for playmates who will support your efforts to stay substance-free, look up local meeting times and group hangouts before going. I promise there will be lots of similar guys seeking sober, kinky fun this weekend.
That said, some people do drugs during the weekend. It's necessary to acknowledge that so we can take collective efforts as a community to keep everyone safer. Folsom Street Events also keeps public-health resources on-site, including staff from the Department of Public Health, free masks at the info booths, and touchless hand sanitizer around the fairgrounds, along with sponsor booths pointing people toward PrEP and mpox resources.
If you see someone who looks like they might be having a bad high or who might need help, it's always OK to ask. This communal spirit of love and care is what I most associate with the kink community, and I am always reminded of how beautiful it is at Folsom.
28. DO keep in touch with people you meet.
Get phone numbers! You might find playmates who don't live far from your home, or, even better, you might meet kinksters from the other side of the world, with totally different techniques and perspectives and a completely different kinky culture to speak from.
Sex is always a blessing, but knowledge and perspective are sometimes much more valuable, and there's much to be learned in such a gathering as this one.
29. DO get tested for STIs before and after the Fair.
If not strictly a sex event, Folsom is at least sexually charged; a lot of people will be having sex. They might not be having sex at the fair itself; they might be sneaking off into nearby apartments and toilets, or planning meetups for later. But a lot of sex will be happening.
Folsom is a beautiful celebration of human sexuality, identity, and desire, but I would be remiss if I didn't suggest getting a full STI screening two weeks beforehand and doing a full STI screening two weeks after.
Know your status. Tell your sex partners if a test is positive, so they can also get checked. This is responsible sluthood.
30. DO come back.
You won't be able to do everything or everyone on one trip. Every time you go to Folsom, you will enjoy it a different way and understand it a bit more. It's not an event that can be summarized and fully appreciated from one trip. You need to do it again and again.
In time, it starts to take on the feeling of returning home, returning to a place where you'll see family from across the world again. Have fun and see you next year.
Alexander Cheves is a writer, sex educator, and author of My Love Is a Beast: Confessions from Unbound Edition Press. @badalexcheves
