The event attracted thousands of costumed revelers
The West Grand Brass Band keeps the party going at San Francisco’s annual DanceOWeen in the Mission District on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024.Kevin Kelleher & Emily Trinh/Special to SFGATE
By Dan Gentile,Senior Culture Editor Nov 1, 2024 (SFGate.com)
Thursday night, in the intersection of 16th Street and Valencia, Beyonce’s “Break My Soul” blared out of a mobile DJ rig as thousands of costumed San Franciscans marched through the streets of the Mission. Opaque jellyfish held high on sticks floated over the crowds, people dressed as Waymos and covered in political leaflets skewered SF trends, and one woman in a wide-brimmed Carmen Sandiego hat snuck off into the night, with an Anh Phoong impersonator presumably hot on her heels.
The free, unpermitted, event, dubbed DanceOWeen, began at the 16th Street BART station, snaked down Valencia, then back to Capp Street, where two small stages hosted live bands. Eventually it headed west again, concluding in Mission Playground just before midnight.
The event initially began in 2013 as a small gathering between friends but has snowballed into a massive neighborhoodwide parade that garnered 3,700 RSVPs via Partiful. Organizers, who spoke with SFGATE on Friday morning under the condition of anonymity due to the unsanctioned nature of the party, estimate that between 3,000 and 5,000 people attended, more than double the attendance of last year. The mass of people had a similar density and spirit as Bay to Breakers, although with a smaller civic footprint.
A crew of 100 volunteers directed the flow of traffic through the streets, with police stationed along the perimeter in an unofficial capacity (organizers stated that since the event happens every year, police expect it and staff accordingly). Each of the 12 mobile DJ rigs included a communications assistant to control the pace, many in contact over walkie-talkie in case of cell service disruption.
Organizers said they weren’t aware of any injuries or altercations, and claimed to have swept through the streets and playground afterwards with trash bags, leaving no trace. However, around 11:45 p.m. as the event was ending, organizers said that representatives from San Francisco Recreation and Park Department arrived at Mission Playground and threatened legal action. They informed organizers that they would be financially responsible for unfiled permits and fees related to additional park ranger staffing, organizers said.
“Listen, we’re all for fun and revelry, but a children’s playground at night isn’t an appropriate venue for nearly 300 adults and several mobile DJs,” Rec and Park deputy director Tamara Barak Aparton told SFGATE in an email. “Does this really need to be explained?”
When asked about the choice to carry out the event without permits, organizers said that they have researched ways to make the event official. However, they cited costs as a prohibiting factor, as well as the time required to pass through bureaucratic and logistical hurdles. There are no plans to monetize the event, nor goals to grow it by means other than word of mouth.
“This is not for scale. This is for joy,” the organizers said. “This has all been organic growth. We’re sharing it because we want people to come. But we’re not interested in trying to make it as big as possible. We’re interested in making it fun and safe.”
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SENIOR CULTURE EDITOR
Dan Gentile is the senior culture editor at SFGATE, where he has covered music, movies and San Francisco subcultures since 2019. Previously he was the founding editor of Thrillist Austin and worked as a freelance writer for over 15 years with stories appearing in outlets like Texas Monthly, Wax Poetics, Rolling Stone, Defector, The Ringer and more. He won San Francisco Press Club awards in 2022 and 2023 for commentary and investigative reporting.
