Come Dunk City Officials For Dollars at the 40th Annual Castro Street Fair

Once a year, as the day’s light develops its golden October hue, Castro Street takes on a look akin of yesteryear, when bronzed boys hung out of listing Victorians and a sea of the Eureka Valley’s villagers grooved amongst the beer gardens and cotton candy booths below. True, the Castro Street Fair isn’t exactly the same as it was when it first started 40 years ago today, but it’s as close as the neighbourhood gets to the days when Harvey Milk was mixing Photo-Flo in his back room.

Part of the difference lies in the fact that none of those boys can actually live in the houses they are hanging out of and the original ones are getting kicked out faster than you can say Ellis Act. Moonlit strolling through Dolores Park may soon land you in the clink and even Harvey would find himself hard-pressed setting up shop in one of the neighbourhoods many vacant storefronts.

The democratic club he founded way back then, however, has continued his fine tradition of being loud and critical of steamrolling the workingman and keeping it queer at this end of the rainbow. Which is why the Fair has asked the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club to run one of Harvey’s favourite booths at the fair- the Dunk Tank. Ever felt like making a political statement and never knew how? Wind up that pitching arm and let one fly tomorrow between 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The illustrious roster of politicos in the hot seat include, but is not limited to Former Castro Supervisor Bevan Dufty, Entertainment Commissioner Anna Conda, Dist. 9 Supervisor David Campos, Dist. 11 Supervisor John Avalos, Dist. 1 Supervisor Eric Mar, Former BOS President Aaron Peskin, and the Bay Guardian’s Marke Bieschke, plus some occasional surprises and perhaps a drag queen or two. While you are in line the club will fill you in how you can join in taking back the city before we all end up the next ferry and proceeds will benefit a number of good groups like CUAV and Lyon-Martin.

Now in full disclosure, this writer is board member of the Milk Club, so yes, this is a shameless plug, but if you disagree with my lack of editorial etiquette or you just think my writing sucks, come take your best shot, Charlie Brown- I’ll be sitting pretty with my fellow board members above that icy Jacuzzi sometime about mid-afternoon.

The Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club’s 40th Castro Street Fair Dunk Tank
Sunday, October 6, 2013 11:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
18th Street (btw Noe & Hartford)
[Castro/ Eureka Valley]
SF