The past two weekends have been overwhelming, thanks to Pride and Fourth of July events. But if you don't feel like taking the weekend off, here are a few fun events around the neighborhood that won't require too much effort.
Friday, July 10th
Art Opening: Magnet just celebrated its 12th anniversary this week, and tonight from 8-10pm, you can stop by to check out its latest art opening 'Manifesting Destiny: Reflections and Tipping Points,' featuring local activist Mike Shriver.
Shriver has been involved in HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and community organizing over the years; this photography exhibit focuses on his work with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. The photos focus on the Sisters' transition from their everyday lives to their alter egos, catching a glimpse of them in the in-between period when they are neither themselves nor their Sister incarnation.
If you're an artist seeking a new place to display your work, Magnet is now accepting submissions for its 2016 shows, before it relocates to a new location at 470 Castro with a gallery that's twice the size. The deadline for submissions is August 31st, 2015. All entries should include a brief paragraph about "how your work supports Magnet's mission to promote the health and well being of gay men in San Francisco," as well as an artist statement and biography. Up to 10 images can be submitted. Entries can either be dropped off at Magnet or sent to them via email.
Happy Hour: AIDS Walk San Francisco is coming up next Sunday, July 19th. But tonight, you can help support the fundraising effort by joining a happy hour at Brewcade from 4-7pm. Beer will be provided by Lagunitas, and the wine for the bar's "grape drank" will be from Henry Wine. A portion of the proceeds will go towards AIDS Walk. If you haven't been by Brewcade lately, it's made a lot of changes, including adding sidewalk seating, reconfiguring interior seating, and moving the arcade games and pinball machines around to allow for more space to play.
Saturday, July 11th
Local Crafts: The Castro Community Benefit District (CBD) will host two Live in the Castro events in Jane Warner Plaza over the course of the weekend. For the first (Saturday at 11am), 17th Street store Local Take will be taking over the plaza with its independently designed crafts, which it's been offering to tourists and locals alike since 2013.
Film Festival: Check out the city's newest filmmakers at the 26th Annual Scary Cow Film Festival, to be held at the Castro Theatre at 2pm. Scary Cow is an "indie film co-op focused on helping its members network with filmmakers, make films together, provide budget and screen the movies at the best theatres." Though the name may imply horror, the collective's films span a wide variety of genres. Audience members will be encouraged to vote on their favorite films and filmmakers, which will help determine who receives funding for future projects.
Sunday, July 12th
Live Music: The second of the Castro CBD's two Live in the Castro events will feature live music from Dirty Cello, which combines down-home blues, Eastern European dance music, a bit of bluegrass and some uptempo classic rock. It kicks off at 1pm.
Spark Arts: Spark Arts will host a Dark Matter - White Party Reception on Sunday evening from 5:30-9pm. The adults-only reception will introduce the community to a provocative photo series from Alexander Reneff-Olson, a San Francisco native and professional ballet dancer. The exhibit runs from July 8th to August 10th.
Did we miss any events that you'd like others to know about? Let us know in the comments below. Have a good weekend!
