S.F. fair weirder than ever in 25th year as it makes up for lost time

S.F. fair weirder than ever in 25th year as it makes up for lost time

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The goings got weird later than first planned this year for San Francisco’s 25th annual street fair devoted to all things eccentric.

The How Weird Street Faire, postponed by a major May storm, made up for lost time Saturday with an afternoon of electronic music, colorful costumes and imaginative art, just in time for the autumn equinox.

Centered at Howard and Second streets, the annual fair emphasizes the neighborhood’s strength as an art and technology hub, encouraging endless possibilities when both specialties are combined. The all-ages event featured live DJs and electronic music performances spanning nine stages, an Art Alley showcasing more than 50 local creatives, a marketplace with unique goods, and a large array of food and drink offerings from South of Market restaurants and bars.

The fair, which attracted thousands of attendees this year, is a blend of the Pride Parade, Bay to Breakers, Burning Man and Coachella. Participants are encouraged to come in costume, “as the You you’ve always wanted to be,” according to the organizers. “Weird is always in style.”

The How Weird Street Faire began in 2000, initially inspired by 1990s electronic music culture. Past fairs have saluted the 1967 Summer of Love, the 1970s disco revolution and, in one installment, the 1880s and 1980s, decades when music was first recorded and synthesizer sounds thrived, respectively.

Attendance has grown from about 1,000 the first year to more than 20,000 in subsequent fairs. Organizers see events like the street fair as essential to reviving downtown San Francisco.

The How Weird Street Faire is a project of the educational nonprofit World Peace Through Technology, which uses education, art, music and dance to unite diverse communities.Is Padel the Same as Pickleball?