The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are putting on their 46th annual Easter celebration Sunday, April 20. This year the charitable drag nun group is focusing on transgender representation, as the community faces attacks from the Trump administration.
There are also other events around the city, from a free meal for those in need to activities for kids.
The Sisters’ Easter in the Park theme this year is “No Easter without the T,” Sister Roma told the Bay Area Reporter. The event will be held at Mission Dolores Park.
“The Sisters are making a very bold statement this year in solidarity with the trans community, as they are under attack in today’s social climate and political climate,” Roma said. “We feel it’s very important that trans people are honored, recognized, and respected and for all to thrive, and so we’re focusing our stage show on trans talent and entertainment.”
Trans and gender-nonconforming performers will include Breanna Sinclairé, an opera singer who was the first trans woman to sing the national anthem at a professional American sporting event (a 2015 match between the then-Oakland Athletics and the San Diego Padres at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum); as well as the ladies of AsiaSF 2.0, Roma said.
The big day will start at 10:30 a.m.
“We’re kicking off the day like we always do with a special children’s Easter event with an Easter bunny, an Easter egg roll, [and] face painting,” Roma said.
The main, more adult-oriented program will begin at noon and will be emceed by Roma, drag artist Alex U. Inn, and Honey Mahogany, a trans person who is executive director of the San Francisco Office of Transgender Initiatives.
Inn, who was sainted by the Sisters, helped put together the People’s March last weekend to protest President Donald Trump. Inn stated to the B.A.R. that, “Bringing joy to people is also something I deeply value.”
“No matter who you voted for, there are undoubtedly disappointments in the current climate within the United States,” Inn continued. “In the face of this chaos, holding onto our joy and love for each other is vital. I hope to bring that spirit of fun and enjoyment as one of your emcees at what’s sure to be a hilarious event featuring Hunky Jesus and Foxy Mary.”
Of course, the festivities wouldn’t be complete without the Easter bonnet, Foxy Mary, and Hunky Jesus competitions. (The Hunky Jesus portion starts at about 3 p.m., according to a news release, and the event wraps at 4.)
“Some people spend months preparing for these contests,” Roma pointed out.
The highlight of the Easter event means it hasn’t been without controversy – in 1999, on its 20th anniversary, the Sisters went big and closed down Castro Street for a block party that was met with strong resistance from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco, which fought to have the street closure denied.
That led to gay then-Board of Supervisors president Tom Ammiano's famous "walk a mile in my pumps" comment to then-fellow supervisor Alicia Becerril during a heated board meeting held in the South of Market neighborhood where the street closure was approved on a vote of 9-2.
But these days, Easter in the Park has become a beloved sign spring has sprung in the city: the social event of the season, as shirts finally come off in the park after gloomy winters.
To volunteer, go to https://www.thesisters.org/volunteer
“This has honestly become one of the most anticipated annual events in San Francisco,” Roma said. “People just love Easter in the Park with the Sisters and, honestly, I cannot think of an event that exudes more joy, creativity, and celebration than this really special day. It’s absolutely beautiful to witness. You’ve seen how many people come to the park. It’s just insane – thousands.”
Easter meal, bunny hopping, and more
The Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco, which meets at St. Mary's Chapel of Trinity-St. Peter's Episcopal Church at 1620 Gough Street, will be walking down to Pistachio Kitchen at 1535 Franklin Street, after its Sunday service “IN OUR EASTER BONNETS” for brunch, according to an email. (The LGBTQ-affirming church service starts at 9 a.m. April 20.)
“In order that all may join us, the church will pay for the meal on one ticket and ask members to contribute what they can to offset the cost of the meal. We will collect cash at the brunch for this purpose,” the email states.
For those who want to supplement their religious services this weekend, or aren’t participating in them, there are plenty of other options, including Tenderloin Tessie’s free Easter dinner at the First Unitarian Church at 1187 Franklin Street, from 1 to 4 p.m. April 20.
The dinner will include live entertainment by a bluegrass band, free haircuts by pop-up barber shop LoveCuts, a free gift bag, free clothing from St. Anthony’s Foundation, free pictures with the Easter bunny, and of course, candy.
There are volunteer shifts available noon to 4:30 p.m. April 19, and 10:30 a.m. to noon April 22, for truck workers; and 9 a.m. to noon, noon to 4 p.m., and 3 to 6 p.m. April 20. Volunteers must show proof of vaccination and an ID, according to Tenderloin Tessie board president Michael Gagne. To volunteer, call him at (415) 584-3252 (landline, no text).
The Easter bunny can be found hopping around the San Francisco Zoo’s celebration from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 20. (The zoo is at Sloat Boulevard and the Great Highway.) The bunny’s meet-and-greet will be at the Sculpture Learning Plaza, adjacent to the Elinor Friend Playground. There’ll also be special arts and crafts making, according to an email from the zoo.
The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department’s Spring Fling will be held at Crocker Amazon Park, at 799 Moscow Street, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 19. The fling will include “live entertainment, carnival rides and games, egg hunt, arts and crafts, and more. “Food trucks will be available when you work up an appetite,” according to a news release.
Castro events
Typically, the Castro Merchants Association sponsored an event on Noe Street between Market and Beaver streets on the day before Easter. Similar events are held on Pink Saturday in June and around Halloween and Christmas.
This year, however, a spring event will take place at that location, but on May 3, according to Nate Bourg, a gay man who is the association’s president.
“The board agreed it would be good to try something different this year,” Bourg said. The event will be produced by CG Events.
Chris Carrington, co-founder of CG Events, told the B.A.R. that the event will be from noon to 5 p.m.
"We're still kind of figuring it out," he said. "There'll be a petting zoo, we're also going to have a kid's area with a variety of programming, kids activities, drag queen story hour, and we're looking into bringing in a balloon animal person and a magician ... and potentially a contest with cash prizes." Carrington said what the contest will be hasn't been decided yet but that it will be around 4 p.m.
That being said, there’s no shortage of events in the Castro area, either. On Friday, April 18, the Castro Night Market returns from 5 to 10 p.m. between Collingwood and Hartford streets. This month’s theme is “Neon Nights.” The event is free and open to the public.
Concurrently, the Lookout bar, at 3600 16th Street, is celebrating a milestone of $2 million the bar has raised for LGBTQ organizations since its opening in 2007. There’ll be a viewing of the finale for Season 17 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” from 8 to 9:30 p.m., with DJs spinning the rest of the time, from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Organizations that have benefited include the Sisters, the Imperial Court, the Ducal Court, the San Francisco LGBT Center, and, of course, “a plethora of sporting leagues and teams,” according to a news release.
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