SFSFC
Community, Culture, and Commerce
Learn more about the San Francisco Street Fair Coalition
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The San Francisco Street Fair Coalition (SFSFC) is a vibrant network of organizations dedicated to fostering San Francisco's unique street fair culture. We're bringing together the diverse threads of community-driven celebrations, artistic expression, culinary delights, and grassroots activism, converging in the heart of the city's streets.
Street fairs are an iconic part of San Francisco's unique history and identity. Events like SF Pride, Folsom Street Fair, and Castro Street Fair bring over 1.5 million visitors into the city every year, enriching the cultural fabric of the city and generating high levels of revenue for local business and the tax base.
According to the last economic impact study on outdoor events in San Francisco (published by the SF City Office of Economic Analysis in 2015), these three events combined generated an estimated $545 million in local economic impact in 2014 alone. Traditionally, these events have also provided a vital source of funding for local social groups and grassroots organizations that contribute to a vibrant city life and create a safety net for San Francisco's most vulnerable populations.
The COVID-19 epidemic severely impacted all street fairs in San Francisco, and many are still struggling to recover from the shutdowns. Several street fairs are facing a reduction in their offerings due to cost-restrictions and increase in labor costs, and nearly all beneficiary programs to provide grants to local community-based organizations have been suspended.
As producers of the largest street fairs in the city, we believe that creating a coalition of street fairs in San Francisco would create unprecedented opportunities for: A) cost-savings and efficiencies; B) sharing resources and best practices; and C) and generating grants for local community-based organizations.
Ultimately, our goal is for this coalition not only to help San Francisco's legendary street fairs get back on their feet following the pandemic, but will create a new model for working together to expand our offerings and impact for the city and the people that live here, bringing the vibrance and diversity of city-life to fabulous new heights.
check out our press release
Here's how we bring our vision to life:
Advocacy: We champion the value of street fairs, lobbying for fair permitting procedures, advocating for sufficient resources, and ensuring street fairs remain accessible to all communities.
Support: We are a resource hub for existing and aspiring street fair organizers, offering logistical guidance, networking opportunities, and education on topics like vendor management, safety protocols, and fundraising.
Collaboration: By facilitating communication and fostering partnerships between street fair organizers, we encourage cross-pollination of ideas, resource sharing, and joint initiatives to strengthen the overall street fair scene.
Community: We promote street fairs as platforms for community engagement, celebrating the city's diverse cultural heritage, and fostering a sense of belonging and inclusion. We encourage street fairs to highlight local artists, musicians, and businesses, as well as address social issues and offer educational opportunities.
Innovation: We embrace creativity and experimentation, encourage sustainable practices, explore new technologies, and support innovative forms of street fair expression.
Visibility: We raise the profile of San Francisco's street fairs on a local and national stage, showcasing the city's arts and culture and the economic, social, and cultural benefits of our lively gatherings.
The San Francisco Street Fair Coalition is more than just an organization. We're a vibrant community supporting San Francisco's unique street fair culture and we hope you join us!
Member Organizations
