The Castro and Upper Market Community Benefits District is pleased to announced a series of free summer music concerts in the pedestrian plaza. The first event will be held Saturday, July 4.

The Castro CBD is collaborating with People in Plazas to bring the Market Street Music Festival to the 17th Street plaza the first Saturday in July, August, and September. This Saturday's concert will feature the band Brassworks from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

Future concerts are scheduled for August 1 and September 5.

Bear Cub contest Saturday

After the Castro concert, bears and their admirers can head South of Market to the Lone Star Saloon for the 10th annual Bay Area Cub contest. Produced by John Caldera, the Independence Day event takes place from 3 to 7 p.m. at the bar, located at 1354 Harrison Street.

Created as a companion to the San Francisco Bear contest, the cub event has traditionally been a fun-filled afternoon with the Bears of the Bay Area. Contestant applications are available at the Lone Star.

The contest will benefit two local organizations, the Veterans Speakers Alliance and the Bob Basker Post 315 of the American Legion. The speakers group consists of veterans who speak out against the military's oppressive policies, including the anti-gay "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Both organizations welcome LGBT veterans to join.

For more information, contact Caldera at intlbear@aol.com.

Body image conversation continues

Because of the overwhelming success of the recent "Muscleboys, Twinks, and Bears – Oh My!" the Community Initiative has planned a second meeting to look at the way gay men feel about themselves and their bodies. Part two takes place Thursday, July 9 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the LGBT Community Center, 1800 Market Street in San Francisco. The event is free and open to everyone.

Local singer-performer Tom Orr returns to moderate the evening and will perform some musical numbers on themes of body image and appearance in the gay male community.

Returning panelists include African American and queer activist Blue Buddha, bear Phil Siegel, and Mark M. Peterson-Estrada, M.A., who appeared in the documentary Do I Look Fat?

Next week's forum will further delve into some of the issues around body image, type, and peer pressure and their effects on the gay community.

The Community Initiative is a grassroots activist organization of Bay Area queer men. For more information, contact info@thecommunityinitiative.org or (415) 820-9606.

Yoga of the Breath session starts next week

The popular Yoga of the Breath course for people living with HIV will be held at Quan Yin Healing Arts Center from July 10-17. Classes are 7 to 9:30 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekends. People living with HIV are able to attend on a full scholarship/no fee basis.

Yoga of the Breath's primary feature is a unique breathing technique that is said to release stress, support immune function, and increase awareness. The course is held in an atmosphere of nurturing and community. At the end of the course, participants have a program of skills that can be utilized for a lifetime to enhance immunity, rekindle enthusiasm for life, and increase longevity and quality of life. They will be able to practice these techniques at home on their own and join other participants for ongoing weekly follow-up sessions.

Quan Yin Healing Arts Center is located at 455 Valencia in San Francisco. To register or for more information, contact mailto:mwonders@gmail.com.