SOMA Second Saturdays!

SOMA Second Saturdays
Returns to the Streets!


April 8, 2023, noon to 5 pm

Vendors!  Entertainment!  Surprises!

 

Presented by the LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District
Folsom Street
& the SOMA West Community Benefit District

    • New Activities and Entertainments now being planned!
    • The Erotic Storytelling Hour, Live and in person.  Be 18+  to listen!
    • Watch this page for updated list of vendors and activities!

 

Applicable COVID-19 precautions enforced.

This is a no-smoking event.

Free!  Donations welcome.

Artists! Artisans! Show and sell your work! Sign up here.

Volunteers Needed!
Contact manager@sflcd.org to sign up!

Chat about it, meet your friends, compare notes on Bloom  (soma-second-saturdays-268)

Erotic Storytelling Hour!

The LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District is pleased to present another edition of our bi-weekly online event for persons 18+ only:

The Erotic Storytelling Hour

The hour of kinky literary fun happens on the Second Thursday of each monthCome hear some erotic, sexy, and funny stories and more from selected writers of our community!

Thursday, April 13, 2023, from 8 to 9 p.m.  

 Join via Zoom
Or call 1 408 638 0968 and enter meeting ID: 868 6820 8302 and password: 507379\
Info on Facebook
Be 18+

Hosted by:
Sumiko Saulson
David Hyman
Cal Callahan

Featuring Stories by:
To Be Announced

Featured Reader:
To Be Announced

 

Click here to view the
Erotic Storytelling Hour Archive
18+ Only

Click here for info about all our wonderful Erotic Storytellers!

If you’re interested in being a reader for a future event, contact: manager@sflcd.org.

If you enjoy listening, please become a member of the Cultural District: https://join.sflcd.org 

Timely Reminders

The next meeting of the Fundraising Committee will is set for Tuesday, March 25, at 5 pm.  Please contact the committee chair to get on the mailing list for  this Committee, or for more info!


The next online meeting of our Diversity and Membership Committee is set for Thursday, April 6, 2023, from 6 to 7 p.m. Join via Zoom here, or call 1 408 638 0968 and use Meeting ID: 878 6588 4248.  RSVP is not required.  More info is here, or contact manager@sflcd.org.   We hope you can join us!

The next SOMA Second Saturdays is set for Saturday, April 8, 2023, on 12th Street between Folsom and Harrison.   Join us any time between 12 noon and 5 pm.  There will be artists and artisans, Live Erotic Storytelling and other entertainment!  Exhibitors and vendors are needed; please sign up hereIf you are interested in entertaining, or organizing activities, please contact Cal Callahan.  


The next online meeting of the Land Use Committee Meeting is set for Monday, April 10, 2023, from 6:30 to 7:30 pm. Zoom into the meeting here. More info is here, or contact the committee chair.


The next online meeting of the Communications Committee is set for Thursday, April 13, 2023, from 6 to 7 pm.  Join via Zoom here.  More info is here, or contact the committee chair,  Bob Brown!


We now host our Erotic Storytelling Hour on the second Thursday of each month.  Our next one is Thursday, April 13, 2023, from 8 to 9 pm. Come hear some provocative, graphic, sexy, titillating, and funny stories (and more) from selected writers of our community, hosted by award-winning author Sumiko Saulson. It’s fun, it’s naughty, it’s online.  Click here or here for more details and Zoom link, and click here to see videos of some of our past evenings!  (Be 18+!)


The next meeting of the LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District Board of Directors will be Wednesday, April 19, 2023, from 6 to 8 p.m. As always, all are welcome to attend, and time is reserved for public comment.  ASL interpretation provided if requested ten days in advance. To participate, join the Zoom Meeting here, or call 1-408-638-0968 and use Meeting ID: 847 8906 0820 and Passcode: 972086.  The draft agenda will be posted soon.   More info is on Facebook here.  Please contact manager@sflcd.org if you have questions. Minutes of past Board meetings can be reviewed here.


Golden Dildeaux Award voting closes at 5 pm on Thursday, April 20, 2023.


The Golden Dildeaux awards will be presented at the Woodies Awards Show, at SF Eagle, on April 22, 2023, from 6 to 8 pm.  Full info on these fun, cheeky awards can be found here.


There will be no March meeting of the Arts and Culture Committee meeting.  The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 27, 2023, from 6:00 to 7:00 pm.  Join with Zoom: here or call 1 408 638 0968 and use Meeting ID: 895 5424 2702.  Facebook event is here.  The draft agenda will be online soon.  Please contact the committee chair, David Hyman, to get on the mailing list for this Committee, or for more info!


Celebrate the District at our free LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District Fifth Anniversary Party!  The fun happens at Folsom Street Foundry (1425 Folsom Street, between 10th and 11th) on Saturday, May 6, 2023, from 6 to 10 pm.  Our MCs will be Lance Holman and Alotta Boutté, and we have lots of entertainments in store.  Watch for details!  Did I mention it’s free? 

Also on May 6, 2023: the Bare Chest Calendar Finals at DNA Lounge from 3 to 6 pm, and the Ms. SF Eagle Leather Contest at the SF Eagle from 3 to 5 pm.  Both events are within two blocks of our Anniversary Party, so mark your calendar to attend them all, and spend a kinky and queer afternoon and evening in the LEATHER District!


The next meeting of the Walking Tour Committee will be scheduled soon.  Please contact the committee chair, Bob Goldfarb, to get on the mailing list for this Committee, or for more info!


A Governance and Legislation Committee meeting will be scheduled when needed. Please contact the committee chair, Bob Brown, to sign up, or for more info!

We send out a newsletter each month, right before our Board Meeting.  Do you get it?
If not, view a recent newsletter here, then sign up to get it monthly here.


Speaking of newsletters, the SOMA West Community Benefit District does a great one, highlighting events — both social and political — affecting our part of the City.  Check it out and subscribe here.


San Francisco has nine Cultural Districts, each supporting a unique aspect of the City’s cultural mosaic.  Links to each of them are here. For more in-depth coverage, you can subscribe to a newsletter, published quarterly by the Mayor’s Office of Housing & Community Development.


We keep adding links to our Resource Guide page.  Use it!


The space formerly known as “SF Catalyst” is  now Transform1060!   You can help keep this important leather/kink/fetish community space open and thriving:  attend an event, volunteer at an event, or host an event now.


Threats to our South of Market businesses and institutions can arise quickly, and may require a quick community response.  Sign up here to join our SOMA Action network.


If you have not yet seen it, please read our Statement of Solidarity, and consider what you personally can do to fight racism, injustice, and abuse of police power.


The next meeting of the Board of the Friends of Eagle Plaza is scheduled for Wednesday, April 12, 2023, from 6:00 to 7:30 pm.  To be added to the “Friends of Eagle Plaza” mailing list, click here.  To make a donation to the Friends of Eagle Plaza, click here,  To stay up to date, like and follow them on Facebook.  To learn more about the Plaza’s design, construction and stewardship, click here or write to info@eagleplaza.org.

Our Committees!

Community participation is essential to the success of the LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District.

We therefore strongly encourage all interested folks to join the Cultural District’s various committees.  All our meetings are free and open to all. 

All Cultural District Committee meetings are currently being held online using Zoom. Interested community members are urged to obtain the Zoom app for their phone or computer, although dial-in phone participation is also an option.  

For log-on information about online meetings, please refer to the “Timely Reminders” post (normally near the top of this Web site), OR to the Cultural District Calendar, OR to our Event List, OR to our Facebook Events page.

To receive email from Committee chairs, (e.g. meeting agendas and special announcements), use the form here; it will send you an email with custom links to let you review and adjust your Committee preferences.  Note that not ALL Committees send out regular meeting announcements.

Here are the currently active Committees that could really use your involvement:

Arts and Culture Committee
Communications Committee
Diversity and Membership Committee
Economic Vitality Committee
Finance Committee
Fundraising Committee
Governance and Legislation Committee
Land Use Committee
Other Groups (Artists, Volunteers, Save SOMA Network)
General Information about Committee Meetings and Membership

Arts and Culture Committee

This new committee advocates for creative activity in the Cultural District, organizes events, performances, public art, gallery shows, and walking tours, and explores opportunities to attract and support leather and LGBTQ artists in the Cultural District.

The Arts and Culture Committee normally meets on the fourth Thursday of each month, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.  Check our Calendar for logon information.   Agendas are posted on this Web site, and sent to Committee members, in advance of each meeting.

Please contact the committee chair, David Hyman, for more info!

Communications Committee

This committee handles the Cultural District’s social media and digital presence, public relations, branding, event promotion, and outreach to clubs, organizations, and individuals.

Their Committee normally meets on the second Thursday of each month, from 6:00 to 7:00 pm.  Please contact the committee chair, Bob Brown, for more info!

Diversity & Membership Committee

This committee recruits individual members and works with other committees to ensure diversity of membership, programs and participants.

The Diversity and Membership Committee normally meets on the first Thursday of each month, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.  An agenda may be available in advance of the meeting.  Please write to the committee chair for more info!

Economic Vitality Committee

This committee works to prevent displacement of existing leather and LGBTQ community groups and businesses as well as attracting new ones to the District. This also includes facilitating connections to existing city services and assistance to navigate those services.

No meetings are currently scheduled for this Committee.  If you are interested in serving, please write to info@SFLCD.org and asked to be kept informed.

Finance Committee

The Finance Committee oversees budgeting and accounting for the Cultural District, and conducts audits when necessary.  Membership is currently restricted to Directors, but for more information, contact treasurer@sflcd.org.

Fundraising Committee

This committee plans the District’s major fundraising events, LeatherWalk and the Golden Dildeaux Awards.  Its work also includes planning other fundraising events and campaigns, exploring grant opportunities, and creating materials to generate donations to support the work of the organization.

The Fundraising Committee normally meets selected Tuesdays each month, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.  Please contact the committee chair for more info, or to be placed on the mailing list to receive meeting announcements,

Governance and Legislation Committee

The Governance and Legislation Committee advocates with city planners, departments and agencies for legislation and procedures benefiting the District’s constituents.  The committee also monitors bylaw compliance and maintains the District’s policy and procedures manual, proposing and drafting any changes.

No meetings are currently scheduled for this Committee.  Please contact the committee chair, Bob Brown, to sign up, or for more info!

Land Use Committee

This committee tracks construction projects and developments in the District, and working with developers and city agencies to mitigate the effects of gentrification.

The Land Use Committee also works to preserve and develop culturally and historically significant buildings, businesses, organizations, traditions, arts, events, and aesthetics, to protect tenants from displacement, and to promote affordable housing in the District.

The Land Use Committee normally meets on the second Monday of each month, from 6:30 to 7:30 pm.  An agenda may be distributed advance of each meeting.  An outline of the functions and structure of the Land Use Committee can be viewed here. Please contact the committee chair for more info, or to be placed on the mailing list!

 

Other Groups

In addition to the above committees, our mailing list includes additional “groups” called Artists, Volunteers, and Save SOMA Action Network.

Please check the “Artists” group if you wish to be kept informed about opportunities and programs of potential interest:  murals, commissions, grant possibilities, etc.  Click here for more information.

Please check the “Volunteers” group if you wish to hear about volunteer opportunities.  Volunteers are needed to act as greeters and staff information booths at events, to help distribute posters and other materials about the District, and to help with special projects that arise throughout the year.   Click here for more information.

Please check the “Save SOMA Action Network” to be advised of opportunities for concrete action to protect our local businesses, amenities, and institutions.  If possible, make sure that your profile allows us to contact you by text or phone, so that we can reach you at short notice.

General Information 

All our meetings are free and open to all. Unless otherwise noted, all in-person meeting locations are ADA compliant and wheelchair accessible.

For all Membership meetings, and most Committee meetings, ASL interpreters will be provided if requested at least ten days in advance. Please send requests to the Committee Chair, or President@sflcd.org.

For dates, time, and log-on information about online meetings, please refer to the “Timely Reminders” post (normally near the top of this Web site), OR to our Event List, OR to our Facebook Events page.

To receive emails announcing meetings, and other important information, please click here to join the mailing list. If you are already on our mailing list, you can click here to adjust which Committees you wish to be kept informed about.

Please like and follow us using the links below, and contact us any time with questions, suggestions, or just to keep in touch.

Come participate, help out, and be a part of our historic Cultural District!