United States California San Francisco

Castro St & Market St

Iconic intersection famous as a hub of LGBTQ+ culture, with historical significance for civil rights, lined with vibrant shops and rainbow flags.
  • Castro Street

HARVEY MILK PLAZA

At the intersection of Castro & Market you will come upon Harvey Milk Plaza featuring an art installation and in front of you a large waving rainbow flag in the sky.  Take time to pause and people watch, enjoy! The Castro is a fun and distinct sub-culture and this is the gateway to the heart of it. 

Gilbert Baker is the creator of the original rainbow flag. The original rainbow flag version included turquoise and pink stripes. Created in the 1970’s, Gilbert Baker refused to copyright or intellectually protect the rainbow flag symbol because he wanted it to spread freely and widely as a symbol around the world as fast as possible, uniting communities and symbolizing unified LGBTQ+ Pride. Today there are over sixty flags that represent different segments of the LGBTQ+ community.

Near the corner of Castro & Market you’ll see Catch restaurant. This exact location is where the The Names Project happened, also known as the AIDS Memorial Quilt, an effort led by human rights activist and LGBTQ+ pioneer Cleve Jones. A portion of the Quilt is still on display inside Catch to celebrate the history. Considered the largest community arts project in history, the AIDS Memorial Quilt helps us remember the unique lives and stories of those we’ve lost to HIV/AIDS. Like Dennis Peron, Cleve was an ally and friend of Harvey Milk. 

Badge:  Gilbert Baker

Tips from the community

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meganpru 4 months ago

Castro St & Market St Guides

  • The Pioneers of Pot Check-in Challenge - SF Hash Week

    thecannabistrail (The Cannabis Trail )
    <p>The SF Hash Week Pioneers of Pot check-in challenge is a gamified self-guided cultural travel adventure that celebrates the cannabis legalization movement and the pioneers that paved the way.</p><p>Advocating for safe cannabis medicine access for patients in San Francisco back in the 1980s and 1990s is what led to the recreational 21+ cannabis access that we enjoy today.</p><p>Enjoy the Pioneers of Pot walking tour adventure, brought to you by The Cannabis Trail in partnership with SF Hash Week!&nbsp;</p><p>Get elevated and take an immersive cultural cannabis walkabout. Learn about Dennis Peron and Brownie Mary and the community of inspiring activists and outlaws who re-legalized medical cannabis for suffering patients in need.</p><p></p><p>The SF Hash Week Pioneers of Pot Check-in Challenge:</p><p>1. Prior to embarking on your adventure, watch The Secret Story, a 15-min short doc: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YRxfa_b2Sk</p><p>2. Visit cannabis landmarks and points of interest</p><p>3. Check-in at three places and collect a Pioneer badge at each place on the map.</p><p>4. Collect three Pioneer badges and win…</p><p>…a 2024 SF Hash Week Patch, limited edition, while supplies last!</p><p>If you complete the challenge, your commemorative SF Hash Week 2024 Patch must be picked up inside Flore Dispensary by 8pm on 7/30/24.</p>