Ginger's, a storied LGBTQ+ bar in the San Francisco's Financial District, is prepared for a grand re-opening. The revival of the bar aligns with the city's Pride weekend and is expected to draw in both old regulars and new faces looking to celebrate diversity and inclusion.
Hoping to bring back a piece of San Francisco's LGBTQ+ history, Dana Marinelli, the new general manager who recently joined Future Bars, approached the owners with a fervent, time-sensitive pitch. She proposed reopening Ginger’s in time for San Francisco's Pride festivities, according to Eater San Francisco. Despite the location having been mostly dormant since the onset of the pandemic, aside from serving as a venue for the occasional private event, ownership gave Marinelli the green light for a weekend relaunch set for tomorrow. Marinelli's ardor for the undertaking is underscored by Ginger’s standing as one of the few LGBTQ+ spaces in the Financial District.
Refusing to fall behind, Ginger's comeback is backed by the formidable cocktail program of Future Bars, known for their properties like Bourbon and Branch and Pagan Idol. The drink menu includes the Queen Bee, a bold concoction of tequila, passionfruit, peach, and a touch of habanero tincture. In honor of Gina LaDivina, a cherished performer and community figure who recently passed away, Ginger's will serve "Gina's Diamonds," which features peaflower gin accompanied by notes of elderflower and lavender. The Sister Bubbles Bathory cocktail, saluting one of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, dazzles with nonalcoholic aperitif, sparkling water, and edible glitter, with part of the proceeds supporting the sisters’ mission.
The relaunch won’t just be about the drinks. Marinelli has planned a full roster of events, kicking off with a blessing and ribbon cutting by Sister Bubbles Bathory herself at 6 p.m. on opening day, as detailed on Ginger's website. Performances throughout the weekend will showcase a diverse array of talent, thriving on inclusivity with a heavy representation from the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ POC communities. "I just feel so passionate about queer spaces," Marinelli told Eater SF. "I’m bringing drag back and burlesque back, and the program that I’m working on for Ginger’s for Pride is heavily BIPOC, queer POC, drag kings, drag queens — I’m feeling just so wonderful about the inclusivity", she said, as per Eater San Francisco.
After the high-octane festivities of the reopening weekend, which will feature drag performances every hour on Pride Sunday, Marinelli acknowledges the need to maintain the bar's legacy as a chill after-work spot. She envisages honoring that tradition, especially for the regulars who "used to just come down for a beer," according to Eater San Francisco.
Ginger's first opened in late 1991 and has gone through various incarnations.
