Third Thursdays on Treat, this time “Juneteenth x Pride,” kicked off late Thursday afternoon what will be dozens of Pride and Juneteenth celebrations through the end of the month.
About 10 Black and LGBTQ+ vendors lined the space at 957 Treat Ave. near 23rd Street with crocheted hats, $1 caricatures, specialty cupcakes and more. Through the evening, Women’s Audio Mission’s Dominé Brishawn, Aroma and DJ Shellheart, who deejays for the Valkyries, kept the beat going
Edwin Ortiz, a billing specialist and event manager, said Monkey Brains, which hosts the Third Thursday event, initially wanted to do something for Pride Month, but since Thursday landed on the eve of Juneteenth, the local internet provider decided to celebrate both.
For vendor Bre Quinzel, who makes sweet treats, it was the first time she celebrated the two together.
“Helping people be seen, helping people feel comfortable being in their own skin and living the life that they were meant to,” Brishawn said.
Brishawn and her friends performed as kids lined up in front to dance. Some 50 visitors attended the event that ran from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Nearby, Andrea Rivers, who owns Roots of Dopeness, sold her crocheted hats and shirts – each is one of a kind. Rivers learned to crochet when she was nine from her grandma. The dopeness in the name was inspired by her mom’s belief that her family was full of dope people. “I want to bring color and different and brightness to the world of black and white,” Rivers said.
Rivers plans to sell at another Juneteenth event this weekend before celebrating Pride at Civic Center next weekend.
Most everyone at the Juneteenth x Pride event plans to take some time to celebrate both. Ortiz plans to make his way all around town from North Beach to Dolores Park to celebrate Pride.
Fullout Fritzie, the drag queen who was the master of ceremonies on Thursday night, has some hectic days ahead.
“Pride is definitely a kick in the pants to the artists,” Fritize said. “We’re all kind of banding together and taking care of each other.”
She prepared for the upcoming festivities by gathering with friends on Wednesday. She hopes that Pride can continue year-round so that drag performers don’t have to “crawl” out of their bedrooms for Pride and then back after Pride Month ends.
Fritizie will be at August Hall on June 27 with five backup dancers — “a whole production,” she said.
She’ll continue the weekend as a backup dancer for other performers, including one on the mainstage for San Francisco Pride.
Event attendee Angel Idrovo said he plans to relax rather than party for Pride. Idrovo bought one of Rivers’ colorful, floral bucket hats and immediately sported it.
“I think that’s important to just like have things that bring joy and that are actually really, truly community-based and supportive,” Idrovo said. “Especially just in the state of the world that it is right now.”
