Author: Alfredo Casuso

In Honor of Indigenous People’s Day, Rainbow Honor Walk Honors We’wha

In honor of Indigenous People’s Day, the Rainbow Honor Walk celebrates the life and legacy of We’wha (c. 1849–1896), a remarkable Zuni artist, spiritual leader, cultural ambassador, and one of the most historically significant Two-Spirit figures in Native American history.

Born around 1849 in what is now New Mexico, We’wha was a lhamana, a traditionally recognized gender role within Zuni society encompassing both masculine and feminine social and ceremonial responsibilities. Respected within the community, We’wha became an accomplished weaver, potter, and keeper of Zuni traditions, helping preserve and share Indigenous cultural knowledge during an era of increasing pressure from European-American settlement and forced assimilation.

In 1886, We’wha achieved national prominence during a visit to Washington, D.C., where they moved among the capital’s social elite, met President Grover Cleveland and First Lady Frances Cleveland, and helped introduce Americans to Zuni art and culture. We’wha also contributed to the Smithsonian’s understanding of Zuni traditions through demonstrations, explanations, and the sharing of cultural artifacts.

We’wha died in 1896, leaving an extraordinary legacy of artistic achievement, cultural preservation, and Indigenous gender diversity. Although the exact dates of We’wha’s birth and death are unknown, their place in history is unmistakable.

www.RainbowHonorWalk.org

#RainbowHonorWalk #IndigenousPeoplesDay #Wewha #TwoSpirit #Zuni #NativeAmericanHistory #IndigenousHistory #LGBTQHistory #LGBTQHeritage #SanFrancisco #CastroDistrict #HistoryMatters

National Coming Out Day Profile: Bob Crewe

“Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” one of the most enduring pop standards of the 20th century, was written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio and became a defining hit for Frankie Valli. BMI later ranked it No. 5 on its list of the Top 100 Songs of the Century, citing more than six million radio and television airplays.

Crewe, the brilliant songwriter-producer behind many of the Four Seasons’ greatest hits as well as “Lady Marmalade,” was gay at a time when openness could have damaged a career. Later accounts, including comments from those associated with Jersey Boys, have framed the song as a gay love song; one oft-repeated anecdote says Crewe wrote it after gazing at a sleeping boyfriend. That story is evocative, but it is best described as a reported anecdote rather than a definitively documented origin.

What is clear is that Crewe’s life and legacy carried deep LGBTQ significance. After Jersey Boys became a major success, he used proceeds to create a foundation supporting gay rights, people with AIDS, and access to music and art for underserved children. He died in 2014, leaving behind a body of work that helped define American pop — and a personal story that later generations could understand more openly than his own era allowed.

Media Contact: David Perry / (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com

Fleet Fest returns to Fisherman’s Wharf 
Tomorrow and Sunday, October 10–11

Music, food, classic cars and family activities 
welcome locals and visitors to the waterfront

Two-day celebration beside the SkyStar Wheel 
highlights San Francisco Fleet Week

9 October 2026 – San Francisco, CA:  “Give us one year, and if there is a city more hospitable, I’ll eat your hat.” That was then Mayor Dianne Feinstein’s challenge to U.S. Navy Admiral Thomas Hayward in 1981, ahead of San Francisco’s first Fleet Week, as recalled by the San Francisco Chronicle. This October, Fisherman’s Wharf is ready to extend that welcome again.

Fleet Fest returns to Fisherman’s Wharf Saturday and Sunday, October 10–11, welcoming residents, visitors and service members for a waterfront celebration featuring live music, food, a beer garden, classic and military vehicles, and family activities beside the SkyStar Wheel and Boudin Bakery. The gathering at the Triangle Lot on Taylor Street is part of San Francisco Fleet Week, taking place October 4–12.

The Fisherman’s Wharf Community Benefit District is partnering again with the San Francisco Fleet Week Association and the Port of San Francisco to bring Fleet Fest to the Wharf, programming the Wharf adjacent to the Sky Star Wheel and Boudin Bakery.  The collaboration builds on the event’s successful move to Fisherman’s Wharf last year and invites guests to spend the weekend exploring the neighborhood’s restaurants, shops and attractions.

“At the heart of Fleet Fest is community, and at the heart of what we do, is community. Bringing Fleet Fest to Fisherman’s Wharf last year created a wonderful connection between our neighborhood, our visitors, and those who servein our military as well as our emergency response services,” said Bri Maughan, Executive Director of the Fisherman’s Wharf Community Benefit District. “We’re excited to build on that success with another weekend that welcomes families to the waterfront and brings people through the doors of our local businesses.”

Fleet Fest runs from 10am to 7pm Saturday, October 10, and 10am to 5pm Sunday, October 11. Visitors can also explore the Service & Safety Expo presented by PG&E at Pier 27 and tour visiting ships at Piers 27 and 35. Separate ship-tour schedules and entry requirements are available at fleetweeksf.org.

“Fleet Fest is yet another exciting event bringing people to Fisherman’s Wharf, connecting residents and visitors with our waterfront and the people, businesses, and maritime traditions that are unique to San Francisco,” said Michael Martin, Executive Director of the Port of San Francisco. “Fleet Week is always a highlight of the Port’s year, and we are also always looking for ways to make it even better.  The Port is proud of our partnership with the Fisherman’s Wharf Community Benefit District and Fleet Week Association as we welcome everyone to this celebration of the men and women who serve our country.” 

The weekend gives families an opportunity to meet service members and first responders while enjoying the Wharf. At the Service & Safety Expo, visitors can explore emergency-response equipment, see demonstrations, and learn about disaster preparedness and careers in public safety and the military.

“Fisherman’s Wharf is part of the everyday life of District 3 as well as a destination for people from around the world,” said Supervisor Danny Sauter. “Fleet Fest is an invitation for San Franciscans to come down to the waterfront, enjoy the neighborhood and support the small businesses that help make the Wharf special.”

Visitors are encouraged to use public transportation and allow extra travel time during Fleet Week. Entertainment and operational schedules may change; check the official event websites before arriving.

Event details
What: Fleet Fest at Fisherman’s Wharf
When: Saturday, October 10 (10am–7pm); Sunday, October 11 (10am–5pm)
Where: Triangle Lot on Taylor Street adjacent to SkyStar Wheel and Boudin Bakery, Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco
Featuring: Live music, food, beer garden, classic and military vehicles, and family activities
Related activities: Service & Safety Expo presented by PG&E at Pier 27; visiting ship tours at Piers 27 and 35, on separate schedules
For more information and current schedules, visit https://www.fishermanswharf.org/event/fleet-fest/2467/

About the Fisherman’s Wharf Community Benefit District:
Established in 2005, the Fisherman’s Wharf Community Benefit District is a nonprofit public benefit corporation dedicated to promoting, advancing and maintaining Fisherman’s Wharf as a world-class waterfront destination. The FWCBD works to enhance public spaces, support local businesses, improve the visitor experience and celebrate the history, culture and vitality of San Francisco’s most visited neighborhood. https://www.fishermanswharf.org/

About Fisherman’s Wharf:
Fisherman’s Wharf is one of San Francisco’s most iconic and beloved destinations, known for its historic fishing fleet, seafood restaurants, waterfront views, PIER 39 sea lions, family attractions, maritime heritage and enduring role as a gathering place for locals and visitors from around the world. https://www.fishermanswharf.org/

About the Port of San Francisco:

The Port of San Francisco oversees 7.5 miles of waterfront encompassing maritime facilities, visitor attractions, historic districts and small businesses. Its work supports maritime commerce, recreation and economic development while promoting environmental stewardship and financial sustainability for San Francisco, the Bay Area and California. For more information, visit sfport.com.

About the San Francisco Fleet Week Association:

The San Francisco Fleet Week Association organizes San Francisco Fleet Week, honoring the United States Armed Forces and advancing civilian and military cooperation in humanitarian assistance. Begun in 1981 under then-Mayor Dianne Feinstein, Fleet Week features an air show, a parade of ships, community events and humanitarian assistance training. Visit fleetweeksf.org.

2026 ship-tour schedule

Wednesday, October 7: 10am–1pm — Pier 27
Thursday, October 8: 10am–4pm — Piers 27 and 35
Saturday, October 10: 10am–4pm — Piers 27 and 35
Sunday, October 11: 10am–4pm — Piers 27 and 35
Monday, October 12: 9am–noon — Pier 35

All ship tours are free, with entry on a first-come, first-served basis. No ship tours are listed for Friday, October 9. Schedules are subject to change. Review entry requirements and the latest schedule at fleetweeksf.org/events/ship-tours/.

Today, on the anniversary of his birth, we celebrate the life and legacy of Rainbow Honor Walk honoree Fereydoun Farrokhzad (October 7, 1936 – August 4, 1992).

An Iranian singer, actor, poet, writer, humanitarian, and pioneering television and radio personality, Farrokhzad became one of Iran’s most recognizable entertainers through his enormously popular variety program Mikhak-e Noghrei (The Silver Carnation), which helped introduce a generation of Iranian performers.

Farrokhzad lived openly and challenged prevailing attitudes toward homosexuality at a time when doing so carried enormous social risk. After the 1979 Iranian Revolution, he lived in exile in Germany and became an outspoken critic of the new government, advocating for a free and open society.

He was murdered in Bonn, Germany, on August 4, 1992. His killing remains officially unsolved, and he is remembered today as an enduring Iranian cultural figure and LGBTQ+ pioneer.

www.RainbowHonorWalk.org

#RainbowHonorWalk #FereydounFarrokhzad #LGBTQHistory #IranianHistory #LGBTQVisibility CastroDistrict SanFrancisco

media contact: David Pery / (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com

“A Balcony on the World” returns to the big screen
 October 24 at San Francisco’s Marina Theatre

Documentary reveals the art, architecture and public vision
behind the Aquatic Park Bathhouse

6 October 2026 – San Francisco, CA: The San Francisco Maritime National Park Association, in partnership with San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, will present a screening of “A Balcony on the World” on Saturday, October 24, at the Marina Theatre in San Francisco (2149 Chestnut Street, San Francisco). Doors open at 5:30 p.m.; the film begins at 6 p.m. Tickets are available at balconyontheworld.eventbrite.com.

The documentary brings the story of San Francisco’s Aquatic Park Bathhouse Building, now home to the San Francisco Maritime Museum, to the big screen. Constructed during the Great Depression as part of the New Deal’s Works Progress Administration, the Streamline Moderne landmark was envisioned as a “democratic country club”: an art-filled public place where people could gather, swim and enjoy the Bay.

“The Bathhouse was created for everyone, and seeing its story on the big screen is a wonderful way to bring people back to the art and public spirit at its heart,” said Darlene Plumtree, CEO of the San Francisco Maritime National Park Association. “We hope this screening inspires audiences to visit the museum and discover the building for themselves.”

The film traces the Bathhouse’s changing fortunes, from public gathering place to private lease and its 1951 transformation into the Maritime Museum. It brings viewers close to the Surrealist murals of Hilaire Hiler and the tile work of African American Modernist Sargent Johnson, revealing how art was built into this public space from the beginning.

The documentary also follows conservator Anne Rosenthal’s work to restore the murals. Her investigation recovered details of their color, abstraction and symbolism that had faded from view, adding a present-day chapter to the building’s history.

Filmmaker and San Francisco native John Rogers explores the artists, architects and civic leaders who shaped the Bathhouse. The film is also personal: Rogers’s father, a Navy veteran and Matson Line purser, first introduced him to the museum when he was a child.

Among those offering perspective in the film are National Park Service architectural historian Todd Bloch, National Park Ranger David Pelfrey, New Deal historian Gray Brechin, author and San Francisco Chronicle contributor Gary Kamiya, and art curator Lizzetta LaFalle-Collins.

“A Balcony on the World” debuted on Bay Area PBS station KQED in August 2025. The October 24 screening offers audiences an opportunity to experience the film together in a theatre and take a fresh look at one of San Francisco’s public treasures.

Screening details

Film: “A Balcony on the World”
Date: Saturday, October 24, 2026
Venue: Marina Theatre, San Francisco
Doors: 5:30 p.m.
Screening: 6 p.m.
Tickets: balconyontheworld.eventbrite.com

About the San Francisco Maritime Museum:

Housed in the historic Aquatic Park Bathhouse, the San Francisco Maritime Museum is part of San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. Operated by the National Park Service, the museum shares the region’s maritime history through exhibitions and public programming. The building also houses a senior center operated by Sequoia Living. Learn more at https://www.nps.gov/safr/index.htm.