Up Your Alley/Dore Weekend Party Guide 2024

tl;dr/summary: Dore is a more gay-male, raunchier version of Folsom. See yom˜ u there.

My website got borked so putting this year’s guides on Substack. Plus, easier to email folks about updates.

(Looking for the Folsom guide? Right here.)

Be sure to bookmark this guide. I’m constantly updating as new events, venues, and DJs are announced. And signup for email alerts!

You can always find the latest at andymatic.com/dore – just tell friends “it’s at andy matic dot com slash dore” – easy to remember!

Party grid for the weekend (so far!):

Up Your Alley? Dore? Dore Alley?

Yes, it’s true. The weekend is named for the street fair that takes place on Sunday. Most people just call it “Dore.” Rhymes with whore-y. Named for the street intersection, the fair is oriented around Dore Alley and Folsom Street. Proper usage:

• “Are you and the pups coming for Dore?”

• “Which parties are you and your Sir going to for Dore?”

• “Will you and your husband be playing separately for Up Your Alley weekend?”

• “Are you ready to hoe it up for Up Your Alley?”

• “Do you think that piece of shit George Santos will show up at Dore this year? She’ll know where the coke orgies are.”

The weekend of events is anchored by Sunday’s Up Your Alley street fair. The street fair celebrates gay kink and leather culture and is produced by the Folsom Street organization. This is the same non-profit that produces the Folsom Street Fair in September which is an even bigger kink/leather event and bigger weekend. The difference between the two? Up Your Alley weekend is usually described as a bit kinkier/nastier, more gay male-centric, and attended by more locals. You’ll have fewer tourists gawking at the zoo and more people ready to participate. That’s why you’ll hear people refer to it as “Folsom Street Fair’s dirty little brother.”

But there’s a lot more there there than just the fair.

First: Know Your History

Leather is deeply embedded in San Francisco’s history, and Dore is connected to that history and pedigree. There are always a few leather guys at even the most mainstream-y party in San Francisco clubs. From Dore Alley Street Fair, a history lesson:

“The Up Your Alley Fair, wasn’t originally on Dore Alley, and it wasn’t originally ‘Folsom Street Fair’s dirty little brother’. In fact, the two fairs were originally completely unrelated to one another. The first Folsom Street Fairs were celebrations of SoMa’s neighborhood diversity whereas Up Your Alley was a celebration specifically of the gay leather community.” Read the full article…

I’ve put together a list of the many events for Dore weekend. Keep in mind this is just one guy’s opinion on what to do and where to go. I’m not a big kinkster. I don’t think I am. I’ll tie you up, spit in your mouth, smack you around, and demand you [checks notes] “Show dad how you like to fuck.” But like, we know people that are for-real into this stuff much more intensely.

It’s all relative, I suppose. Be sure to ask other friends and acquaintances for their must-do events if this is your first Dore weekend.

I’ll include links to photo galleries for most of the events so you can get a sense for what the crowd will be like and what to wear as well as links to the DJs profiles so you can get a sense of the music.

Tuesday, July 26

Truck Tuesdays, produced by Paul Miller

“The most notorious party in San Francisco” is back. Truck was an automotive-themed LGBT dive bar in the Castro, shuttering in 2015. But producer Paul Miller is bringing that bar’s raunchy spirit back weekly to an undisclosed location.

Advanced cover to get password and location on the day-of.

Join the Truck mailing list here.

Wednesday, July 24

Dirty Alley at Powerhouse, presented by Mr. S Leather

Now celebrating over 40 years of leather, kink, and style, Mr. S Leather is a San Francisco mainstay and globally recognized leather retailer and fetish brand. They’ll kick off the week at Powerhouse and Dore Wednesday with a night of fetish demos, sexy gogos, and guarantees “the trashiest bartenders in San Francisco.”

Full details on the Facebook page for the event or on Instagram for more information.

Leathermen Discussion Group Social at Powerhouse

And right before that, the local Leathermen Discussion Group is having their meet and greet. Full details on the Facebook page for the event and here’s a link to the SF LDG Facebook group.

Thursday, July 25

Red Hanky Social produced by Red SF at Eagle

And our faithful handymen are meeting and greeting at the Eagle on Thursday night.

Full details on the Red SF site.

Hot Trash at TBD, produced by Pighaus

The sluts and skanks at Pighaus are back with their Hot Trash party. Not a lot of description but

More information on Pighaus X/Twitter and their Linktree has a link to their list/group.

Often Disco Happy Hour at Pilsner Inn, produced by Disco and Often

For over two years, Broadway expat & SF party host Disco (née John Pinckard) has hosted a recurring Thursday night happy hour for what he and his co-host and partner Often calls their ever growing “intentional community” of queers, pups, kinksters, burners, and their friends & allies across the Kinsey spectrum and the cis/enby/trans kaleidoscope. It’s a pretty mixed and lowkey crowd for a pair of hosts better know for their early morning after parties that feature eclectic crowds, up and coming DJ talent and hopping play spaces, but they insist, “It’s simply a happy hour social for queers… all kinds of queers. And we know lots of heterosexual queers; there’s just no such thing as a straight queer.”

Originally a weekly pre-game for PowerHouse's jockstrap night, the current incarnation is usually the first Thursday of the month (except for special occasions like the pre-Pride, pre-Dore, and pre-Folsom editions) at the Pilsner Inn @ 225 Church St., starting around 7p and going until it doesn’t. Be there by around 8:30 if you want to be in the the “ussie” that Disco takes every month (apparently an ussie is a group selfie, who knew?). Frequently a lot of the crowd still bounces over to Powerhouse around 10p, so layer appropriately.

Pilsner bills itself as the oldest gay sports bar in the Castro. Many of the local gay sports teams frequent it for its comfortable divey vibe, with a pool table and 30 draft beers inside and an expansive garden out back that’s perfect for soaking up the unseasonably warm weather SF has been having lately.

Often Disco Pilsner Night is a great way to ease into a weekend that really doesn’t stop once it gets underway. The warm and welcoming crowd ranges in age from mid 20s to upper 50s and is remarkably hot in a very eclectic and unassuming way. The event has turned into a sort of on-ramp for new arrivals to SF and its rapidly shifting queer nightlife scene. If you go, look for the gregarious bear wearing a blue kilt and sporting an Armistead Maupin mustache. That’s Disco, and he’ll probably tell you where the Afters is this weekend (chances are he and Often are throwing it themselves).

More info is available by texting the word PILSNER to 855-SFDISCO.

Friday, July 26

Prime at Club 6, produced by Trophy Dad, with DJ Neon the Glowgobear and Serge

Ed, Julian, and the gang at TrophyDad are back at Club 6 (both floors!) and will be hosting a gaggle of gogos (all required to be over 50) with a party dedicated to “men in their prime and their admirers.” If you’re feeling the need to work out some daddy issues (or work over some boys), this will be the place to be. As our friend and daddy connoisseur (papa sommelier?) Baby Jake always says, “You better check for that AARP card first.”

And it feels like we’re in a daddy moment as daddy-themed parties have flourished across the country and around the world. It seems to radiate from San Francisco for some reason. The Prime party started a few years ago as just Ed throwing himself a big 50th birthday party. He had no idea it was going to become a thing. But it has! I think as the generation of men that survived the crisis years of the 80s and 90s is hitting their 50s and 60s they’re redefining what it is to be a gay man after 50: active, vital, confident, horny, and fun.

The crowd includes lots of guys you usually don’t usually see out and about and the music will be prime time circuit plus celebratory vocals with a modern remix with resident DJ Neon the Glowgobear. DJ Neon the Glowgobear hails from the “dirty South” of Atlanta and is known for an upbeat musical style based on house music and classic tracks with a twist.

Meanwhile, downstairs is the Daddy Pit; you’ll enjoy the aggressive overt vibe of the leather bars of days gone by with low ceilings, lower inhibitions, and a play space – with mixmaster Serge, that dark, sexy sound he’s pioneered for years in the dirtiest dark rooms of Berlin.

Read more about the genesis of the Prime party in Race Bannon’s article in The Bay Area Reporter: “Celebrating Grey — the Older Kinkster”

DJ Neon on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, and Facebook.

DJ Serge on SoundCloud and Facebook.

Dress for success and reference lots of photo galleries on the TrophyDad Facebook page.

TrophyDad on Facebook and Instagram.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and tickets available on EventBrite.

Horse Market at Spritz, produced by the Stable Master

The Stablemaster has confirmed he’s planning on having three Horse Market events for Dore.

Horse Market is a truly degenerate evening for all, inspired by Europe’s infamous Fickstutenmarkt parties (Vice article). From the site:

The mares [bottoms] arrive before the stallions [tops] and get prepared for the event. They are to strip naked, have their hands bound (lightly) and are then blindfolded. Then the stallions appear and can fully inspect the bound mares at their leisure. When a stallion has decided on a mare, he then leads the chosen mare to a place of his choice to mount. When the stallion has finished covering the mare, this mare is then available for covering by other stallions.

[scratches record, clutches pearls, drops monocle] There’s even a Best In Show designation at the end of the event because gay men have to turn everything into a beauty pageant scholarship program. I think we know at least 4 of the Best In Show Mares.

Friday’s event is the normal setup as you’ll see on their site. Saturday’s prison-theme event is listed below along with Sunday’s more straight-up fuck-party party.

Get updates from Twitter, or their mailing list and learn more on the site for the event.

REAL BAD: RITUAL at 1015 Folsom, produced by Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation, with DJs Matt Effect and Alfonso Tan

This was an afterhours before the fair, now it is Friday prime time.

These events always attract the friendliest, warmest crowd. Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation has been producing events for 30 years, including its crown jewel—and literally our favorite party of the entire year, their Folsom weekend closing party. This upgraded Dore event brings the same world-class production value as their marquee Folsom event, but with much more accessible tickets: anyone can grab them online! 

We’ll be at 1015 Folsom, one of the city’s top dance temples with three-story ceilings and signature church-style lanterns floating above the crowd. The city’s premier laser-monger, RAGERLAZER returns to San Francisco to deliver a unique and never-before-seen light and laser show.

Matt Effect you’ll remember enthralling the crowds while opening for REAL BAD 32 at Folsom (Matt Effect mix on SoundCloud),

In just a few years, Alfonso Tan’s quickly built a following in Seattle and is continuing to conquer the country and the world with a hard sexy sound that you’ll love dancing to. He grew up on ’90’s era underground hip hop, R&B, electronica, indie rock, video games, sportscars, snowboarding, and Pacific Northwest culture; the positive influence on his sound is apparent. Ron and I gogo danced at Roar’s Honey party two years ago, and dancing on the box as he rocked the decks was a memorable family affair. Producer J. Morgan describes his sound as, “He spins like a top.” I just only now saw the pun in that sentence. Anyway, a good dom pounding for all those interested.

Alfonso Tan on Instagram, Facebook, and SoundCloud.

Matt Effect on Instagram, Facebook, and SoundCloud.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and photos albums on their Facebook page and tickets available on EventBrite.

Pretty in Kink at Public Works, produced by the Glamcocks

Similar to how leather culture is woven into the fabric of the city, so is Burning Man. Communities of burners from all over the world create themed camps and art installations in the desert for nine days every summer and keep a sense of continuity throughout the year with local events in their hometowns. GlamCocks is one of these far-flung, but tight-knit Burning Man community of burners, and their gatherings are a reflection of this exuberant, life-loving, and carefree attitude.

“CATEGORY IS: 80s Kink. Be a Heather in Leather, or a Chad in Plaid and plunge into a sexy, tight, 80s fever dream. Think neon, spandex, lycra, latex. A leather harness with booty shorts is great too, fer sure.”

You’ll have a fantastic night!

Public Works features a dense main floor with two story ceilings and a wrap around balcony above with a side lounge loft tucked in to the side. Lots of places to watch and be watched. It’s got odd traffic patterns, it’s not just you.

Documentary about the group: Meet the Glamcocks.

Full details on this Instagram post including lots of event photos and on the ticketing site.

Ashhole at Powerhouse

Before Stank party (see below) the On Guard Salon Cigar Social in San Francisco has their monthly event at Powerhouse. This event includes boot blacks, hands-on instruction, a longest ash contest, and [checks notes] free slave parking.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event.

Stank at Powerhouse, produced by Spencer Adam and Fawk Gilić

Want a whiff? Get a waft! Everybody’s favorite gay dive bar kicks off the weekend with an evening devoted to the natural smell of men as God made ’em and as God intended.

Stop showering a couple days beforehand and hit the gym hard so you can go in perfectly fragrant (we have a couple friends who declare it “natural poppers”). Be ready to bury your face in a man’s ripe pits and enjoy the aroma and taste of the gogos as they ply their trade.

But get there before midnight so you can participate in (or just appreciate) the Ripe Pits Contest.

Resident DJ/pup Jumpr on Instagram and SoundCloud. Here’s his set from the pups’ virtual Beta party last year, Omega party 2019, Omega 2018, and their 2018 Packed party.

Resident DJ/pup Fawks on Instagram, SoundCloud, and his website fawkstales.com. Here’s his mix from Beta party 2017.

More details will be on Stank’s Instagram.

Grunt at The Stud with DJs Black Plastica, Open Memory and Ziggy Zaya

The sold and closed - open with a co-op - then closed - then re-opened at a new place Stud is back with Grunt which promises to push out the big beats for the big babes on a sweaty sleazy dancefloor. “More Body Less Clothes, free clothing check.

Full details on their site.

Provocateur at 620 Jones, produced by Provocateur SF with DJs De Alma, Honeybear, Sho, and Rush Davis

SF’s Provocateur party returns to Dore, ready for a masquerade at 620 Jones with both indoor and outdoor spaces.

Full details on their Instagram profile.

Tom XL at Eagle with DJ Glovibes and Manuelito, benefitting the Tom of Finland Foundation

The Eagle kicks off Dore Friday with DJs Glovibes and Manuelito. This event benefits the Tom of Finland Foundation and features artists Josh Katz, Monopink, Uel Renteria, and Oscar Zamora Graves.

Full detail on the Facebook page for the event and on the Tom of Finland Foundation website.

Lust & Envy at Transform 1060QUEER-CENTERED KINKY EXPERIENCE

This event has been canceled.

A two-part event focused on creating a space for folks to explore their kinks and celebrate their queerness.

Envy kicks off at 7pm with a kinky cabaret showcase followed by

Lust at 8pm which is an open/kink play experience.

The event includes: local kink art showing and vendors, social area, cuddle/quiet room, smoking areas outside, and the fully equipped dungeon Transform 1060 is known for.

Full details on the Forbidden Tickets site.

Saturday, July 29

Big Muscle Party at DNA Lounge, produced by BigMuscleBears.com benefitting Positive Resource Center, with DJ Paul Goodyear

I always like taking friends to this event because if you don’t know it’s happening on a Saturday afternoon, you don’t know what you’ve been missing.

Several hundred muscle guys of all sizes and stripes, and their admirers pack into DNA Lounge (founded with Netscape money and like every other big venue always at risk of closing) to have cocktails and dance and make Mary.

It’s got a fantastic vibe whether you’re in the mood to dance on the main floor, chill in the back lounges, hang out and chit-chat in the side bars, or people-watch from the wrap-around balcony.

Ron and I contend that this party usually the hottest crowd of the weekend. And some of the guys are yooooge! Like water buffalo galloping through amber waves of grain on the dance floor. It always makes me want to start a TikTok called Big Guys, Tiny Fans. 

Veteran DJ/producer and house music legend Paul Goodyear will be on the main floor weaving classic 70’s Disco with House, with anything 80’s inspired, with soul, electronica, urban, pop and just about everything else (“It’s all disco as far as I’m concerned.”) Known all over the world for his distinct soundscapes and marathon 14 hour sets he’ll be the perfect cook in the kitchen for this event..

Halfway through the party you’ll meet the men of this year’s Bare Chest Calendar. For over 35 years the annual calendar has been a huge part of the San Francisco community, raising over $3 million for PRC and its program AIDS Emergency Fund. PRC (Positive Resource Center) is devoted to providing residential treatment and supportive housing for people with mental health, substance use, and HIV/AIDS-related issues. Buy a calendar! That’s our bestie (and Mr. January last yer) Moe in the event photo above!

It’ll be bright outside and dark as night indoors so it’ll take you a bit to see once you’re in the club.

Reminder: DNA Lounge is a huge venue! It took me a couple years to realize, “Ohhh shit there’s that back bar there… and oh damn is that another bar further on back…”

So after you’ve enjoyed the main floor, go upstairs to the balcony, the side bar on the left with the windows to the street (and another DJ lineup), the bar behind that, the bar behind that (and another DJ lineup), the bar that swings around behind back into the balcony to the lounge with seating and back around to the other side of the club.

Favorite moments from past year’s is the DJ in the upper bar teasing the growling bass line for “The Humpty Dance” for about 10 minutes and you kept thinking, “Am I hearing that?” and then finally launching into the 1989 classic, then back into the usual house mix. And I have an apocryphal story of the DJ dropping in, “All I Want for Christmas,” to troll the crowd with Christmas in July.

There’s also the photo booth in the balcony (house-left) where you can get photos of your hot ass and hot-ass friends for posterity. It closes earlier than the event ends, so be sure to get up there sooner than later. If you get overheated, there are A/C vents to chill you down, right in front of the street-side balcony bar. You’ll see the vents. And come out onto the street for a vape or a smoke or to gawk at the shirrtless guys in the sun.

And don’t forget to grab pizza next door at DNA Pizza (menu) during the party or on your way out. You know these gals like to eat. The veggie slice is called Artichoke-Me-Daddy. You can go between the pizzeria and the club and even go outside for a smoke or a vape during the event – just be sure you have your wrist stamped (or wrist band). If that’s the plan, don’t wait to get in line until the end of the party, it’ll be a long line to get pizza.

Tip: This event has started selling out. And they seem to throttle entry to the club so get in line early. You can usually buy a ticket online the day-of on your phone if you need to.

Usually $15-$20 at the door but advance tickets available on the DNA lounge site, that nasty transaction fee is a doozy (and doesn’t go to the producers, btw).

Photo gallery to show you who-all’s there and what to wear in Out magazine: “109 Photos From BigMuscle Party at Folsom Street Fair”

Paul Goodyear on Instagram, Facebook, SoundCloud, and Mixcloud.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and tickets on sale at DNA Lounge’s site.

Dore Party at Mr. S Leather

Now celebrating over 40 years of leather, kink, and style, Mr. S Leather is a San Francisco mainstay and globally recognized leather retailer and fetish brand. After their Wednesday kickoff they have their ins-store party.

Come find the gear that's going to get you laid. And who knows, you might just meet the guy you'll be spending the rest of the weekend with!

They are opening up the Back Alley Beer Garden from 12-6 (21 to enter with ID).

The shop will be open 12pm-7pm daily all week for your needs and supplies!

Full details on the Facebook page for the event.

Flagging in the Park at the National AIDS Memorial Grove, with DJ Tony Moran, benefitting the National AIDS Memorial Grove

One of the most San Francisco-y things that happens in this wild city. Flagging In The Park is a monthly afternoon picnic of music and colorful motion at the National AIDS Memorial Grove in Golden Gate Park. But for July and September, they usually do special editions for the street fair weekends.

In 1997 a group of San Francisco flaggers started a tradition of celebrating life by gathering in the newly dedicated National AIDS Memorial Grove. Twenty-seven years later, the event continues to thrive and grow, with the DJs, organizers, and participants donating their time, energy and love to help raise money for mostly local (and sometimes national) non-profits.

The AIDS Memorial Grove is a gorgeously secluded meadow near the East end of Golden Gate Park. Often the fog is licking at the sky above - especially in the summer, bring sunscreen and a wrap. Bring something to sit on; pack a lunch or bring snacks and beverages; flags are available for use; usually a few furry friends roaming. There are little or no services nearby but port-a-potties will be available. Our DJ spins vocal fun-filled dance music, and flow artists eagerly enjoy and share their art with newcomers. There is no pressure to participate -- come relax and take in the color and beauty of our tribe!

DJ Tony Moran will be at the decks spinning a summer tea dance sound.

Details on the Facebook page for the event.

Rated X at Space 550, produced by Ky Martinez Events, with DJs Moussa and J Warren

The massive Rated X party is back for its 4th year!

We’ve known producer Ky Martinez and his husband Juan for many years (they sat at the circuit queen table at our wedding reception). It’s been wonderful watching them go from producing their monthly House Party event at Powerhouse (every second-Saturday) to building their reputation with larger more sophisticated events like Imagina, Heaven (Dore Sunday night), and the notorious Folsom afterhours Nocturnal. Their events always draw a fantastic crowd that is a diverse, broad slice of the city’s denizens (leather, muscle, queens, queers, jocks, fairies, and all the rest) and all generations in attendance.

The Rated X party will have over a 1,000 hot men at at this Saturday main even with fetish demos and slutty gogos. Space 550 is a sprawling location with lots of nooks and crannies, so be sure to explore all the crevices you can. You’ll need to take an Uber or Lyft to get out there. Grab a bunch of guys with you in the hotel lobby and order an SUV and chat ’em up on the way there.

VIP tickets are worth it for a dedicated VIP check, express entry, balcony, and the [sotto voce] Pig Room.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and tickets available on kymartinezevents.com.

Beta at Club Six, produced by Fog City Pack, with DJs Katie Rex, Rose Kourts, and Bootie Juice

The pups from the Fog City Pack are back with the second installment of their annual three-party trilogy that starts with Alpha party (moved to Folsom Sunday night this year) and ends with Omega (usually before Thankgiving). In the middle – for Dore – the wild Beta party at Club Six. They’ve commandeered both the ground floor and the seedy basement of the club for your evening’s adventures. Make it hoe, but fashion, but probably more hoe.

The pup party music blend is kinda steady deep house. If you love celebratory soaring vocals – this ain’t it. The pups have always brought in fresh talent for the DJ booth. They describe the event and crowd and DJs are like, “No way, I’m so in!”

You don’t have to be a pup or into pup play to enjoy these parties and a broad swath of the city’s queerdom will be in attendance. Lots of leather and jockstraps and you’ll see pups in pup hoods.

You won’t see a lot of guys acting like literal dogs running around on the floor (that’ll be at the street fair). But guys will woof or growl at you if they’re interested. Nearly everyone checks their clothes, so plan accordingly.

The best explanation I’ve heard for the whole pup thing is it's a persona to make sex fun and playful without all the baggage and anxiety humans can add to it. There’s several packs of pups in San Francisco that function as fraternal groups supporting each other through their lives and careers. It’s just like the Elks.

Love, love, love the security at Club Six. Always friendly and happy to see us – and they adore the pups. Always get a big hug after a quick frisk. It’s staff like that that puts patrons at ease. Club Six is one of the venues in the city that allows producers to include play spaces in their marketing (though nearly every party this weekend will have somewhere in the club dark enough to seed and breed).

What the Fog City Pack has carved out for themselves, for their community, and for their city is quite remarkable, unique, and amazing. Learn more about our dear pups:

• New York Times: We Live in Packs

• Slate: Teaching Young Dogs Old Tricks

• SF Weekly: Canis Majors

• The Fight magazine: Pups in the Mist

Katie Rex hails from Brooklyn with roots beginning in the Philadelphia rave and basement scenes, her passion for the underground has crossed genre boundaries and culminated into an in-depth knowledge of music and cultural trends. Rex’s DJ sets fuse ceiling busting rave anthems into techno, with groove and edge. Rex’s infamous event series turned multifaceted lifestyle platform, BOUND, has received international acclaim with features from VOGUE, The New York Times, Vice, Resident Advisor, and many more.

Rose Kourts - also from Brooklyn and also a radio host - has an innate gift for seamlessly threading harder strains with warm, effusive timbres. A fixture in New York with a growing national and international footprint, the artist has built a reputation for evoking depths of feeling with electric rhythms and sumptuous grooves. Rose Kourts is a Lot Radio resident with a monthly show entitled "GEMS” that showcases her thoughtful curations and deep digging sensibilities. She is also a co-founder and resident of the beloved party Sweet Kicks. With selections that range from freewheeling house and techno to cheeky electro, old-school rave and beyond, a

And pouring the freshest beats from his booty cheeks - it's Booty Juice bringing the party to life! Coming in from Richmond, VA, Booty Juice has been taking the dance floor by storm with his wide variety of musical taste that will make your tushy bounce.

And resident DJs

• Fawks on Instagram, SoundCloud, and his website fawkstales.com. Here’s his mix from Beta party 2017.

• Miloš on Instagram and SoundCloud. Here’s his mix from the virtual Beta 2020 party.

• Jumper on Instagram and SoundCloud. Here’s his set from the pups’ virtual Beta party last year, Omega party 2019, Omega 2018, and their 2018 Packed party.

• Astro on on SoundCloud. Here’s his mix from Alpha party 2017.

The Fog City Pack SoundCloud also has lots of mixes from past parties.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and follow our

Fog City Pack on Facebook , Instagram, or their website.

The pack’s Facebook page also has photos from previous Alpha and Beta events, and other past Pack events.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and tickets available on EventBrite.

Interrogaytion at Spritz, produced by the Stable Wrangler

The second Horse Market event of the weekend, this new debut party produced by the Stable Wrangler. InterroGAYtion is like a kinkier version of a HorseMarket setup in a prison setup with two cellblocks - one for the general population adn one for blinded folded inmates who deserve their punishment. Guards are tops, inmates are bottoms. There is also a FF cellblock for those inclined.

“InterroGAYtion is a fictitious scene in a prison setup and purely role-play and all guests give consent to sexual interaction with all attendees (Guards – Tops, Bottom – Inmates and Volunteers Deputies) as well as The Judge, our Host. … Choose whether you want to participate as a Guard (Top) or an Inmate (Bottom) for the duration of the event. Changing roles from Inmate to Guard or vice versa during the event is strictly prohibited. There might be a twist called “Inmate uprising” or “Prison Riot” where we will allow a change of the roles in a coordinated manner. [okay that sounds rad, I hope it happens] During the Intake of the Inmates and onboarding of the Guards “booking photos” will be made. Inmates will be asked to show off their asses while Guard will be asked to show their best parts. The purpose of the booking picture is to be voted “Good Behavior Incentives/GBI”. Only the winner of that Award will be published anonym with their booking picture on our website or social. Either Guard or Inmate can decline a picture taken and are therefore not eligible for a GBI award. On request a Guard can request his own picture and the Inmate will get the booking picture sent after the event has ended as a courtesy. “

Probably too intense for my prediliections but love seeing some innovation and imagination!

Details for the event are at Interrogaytion.com.

Sneaks at The San Francisco Mint, produced by Polyglamorous, with DJs Lauren Flax, Jamine Infiniti, Tommy Hart, Stefan Ways, and Nate Manic

Yes. The original goddamn San Francisco Mint.

Polyglamorous’ naughty sneaker fetish party returns for their Dore edition to reminds us that leather culture’s Venn diagram is broad and deep

You can tell how much kink is respected in this town that there’s a goddamn sex party at the historic San Francisco Mint. “Opened in 1854 to serve the gold mines of the California Gold Rush, in twenty years its operations exceeded the capacity of the first building and into a new one in 1874, now known as the Old San Francisco Mint. (Wikip)

Acid authority Lauren Flax and self-proclaimed Queen of Hell Jasmine Infiniti will be setting the dance floor ablaze. Mexico City’s Tommy Hart, Denver stalwart Stefan Ways and local legend Nate Manic. The event will be bigger than ever with lots of tickets available at the door.

Dress code is enforced:

• MUST WEAR – sneakers

• DO WEAR – sports gear, singlets, mesh, underwear, knee socks, gym shorts, sweats, track suits… things that are sports-related or you might wear to the gym.

• DON’T WEAR – jeans or slacks

The late amazing Baby Bear – and of the other Short Circuit Andys once told me what he loves about Sneaks:

“I always describe Sneaks as the queerer, more-techno/house sound of Dore weekend. It’s the ‘locals’ choice on Saturday night as far as I’m concerned. Sneaks feels home grown. It’s black-lit which has become commonplace at Polyglamorous parties. It’s a mix of leather, drag, burner [Burning Man] and queer. The biggest thing I’d stress to readers is that [lower priced] pre-sales [tickets] always go fast but there are always tickets at the door as well.”

Goddammit we miss him so much. I swear every time I am about to cross the street I hear St. Andy in my head saying, “Hold up, girl. Did you look both ways? Twice? Look again. Okay.”

Another friend described it as a “dark, sexy, disco rave for athletic fetishists.” Take note.

Clothes check provided, venue is cash only. No cameras allowed.

Several tracks on the Polyglamorous profile on SoundCloud.

Goddamn they sold out FAST, but, “Tons of tickets available at the door – come early or late for best results.” Full details on the Facebook page for the event and learn more about the collective on the Polyglamorous Facebook page and their site.

Everything you want to know at Polyglamorous.club.

Brut at The Great Northern, produced by Dan Darlington and Brian Kent, with DJs Philip Grasso, Brady Prince, and Dan Darlington

We always have a fantastic/notorious time at Brut parties and it attracts a deliriously sexy crowd of horned up men clad in their best gear, ready for a night of dancing and carousing. What I remember most about the Brüt for Dore is how hot and steamy it gets in the club. I’m always surprised the lighting instruments don’t short out.

Co-founder/producer Dan Darlington will be at the decks is always a joy to watch as he spins because he always has a huge grin on his face. He’ll sneak in a vocal after a nasty beat that can be just transcendent. Alway go down front and dance and let him know you’re having a great time.

Local kitten Philip Grasso bringing his unique brand of dark, driving, funky house, c’nty beats and tech house. One of my favorite Chicago party moments is when he brought out a goddamn baritone horn and everybody went nuts. (Video on Fb)

And clean-cut cutie-pie sexy-stud Chicagoan Brady Prince joins the trio with his rambunctious mix grounded in an obsession with percussion with a unique blend of Chicago house, tech house and melodic techno that delivers dominating energy to the floor making any party one to remember. We’ve heard him several times and he’s fantastic.

All three DJs we’ve heard many times and you’ll want to dance all night.

The party will be at The Great Northern with the high ceilings and and guaranteed low inhibitions. The Great Northern has that step down from the bar into the dancefloor. You can watch queens trip over it all night if you need entertainment. That dark far corner behind the DJ on the right can be fun. Rubber, leather, singlets, whatever… let’s see it.

Enjoy the 80,000 watt Void Acoustics sound system as it rattles your rib cage and immerses you in the music.

Brut featured in:

• The New York Times: Gay Leather Scene Tones Down From Hard-Core to Dress-Up

• Daily Xtra: How one leather party is taking back New York City

• Project Q: Brut muscles it’s way into Atlanta

Photo galleries from past Brut events.

Dan Darlington on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, Facebook, and the Brüt site and Brüt’s own SoundCloud. My favorite Brüt mix of all time is this Folsom mix from a couple years ago. It absolutely purrs.

Philip Grasso on Mixcloud, SoundCloud, and Facebook.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and tickets available on EventBrite.

Tuff at DNA Lounge, produced by Tuff Party, with DJs Brian Maier and Danny Lethal, benefitting the Tom of Finland Foundation

Tuff started in LA and is quickly popping up across the country with a fresh new take on the leathermen party anchored in the iconic imagery of Tom of Finland. All types of gear encouraged including leather, latex, western, jocks, harnesses and all the rest.

Tuff’s San Francisco debut moves right as Big Muscle sweeps up the sweat. Hell just go for a back alley fuck and then come right back in and continue the night!

I have slash fanfic in my head with local “Little Lion” Brian Maier who you’ll remember from Real Bad XXVII, where he spun a slutty salacious subterranean sound in the Underground room (mix on SoundCloud). Plus you get to watch that body move as he spins. OMG.

Brian Maier on SoundCloud, Instagram, and Facebook.

Danny Lethal on Instagram and Facebook.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event or get your tickets at the DNA Lounge site.

SXTPS at DNA Lounge, produced by DJ Kidd, with DJs Kidd and Charles Hawthorne

DJ Kidd brings his Los Angeles party SXTPS to Dore, “a Kinky Dance Party for Black + Brown/Queer + Trans People.” SXTPS is a place to be truly free from the shackles of reality. you can always immerse yourself in the rhythms, the beats, the sex, and the grind.

Full details on their Instagram profile and tickets at DNA Lounge site.

Dore Rubber Social at Powerhouse, produced by SF Rubber

Polish it up! The men of SF Rubber are hosting their annual Dore social for rubber and latex enthusiasts. Slip into your sleekest, shiniest gear and come meet fellow rubber kinksters for a fun afternoon, groove to great tunes, awesome vibes and plenty of fun surprises.

Follow them on Instagram for more news and details.

Naked Social at Transform1060

Seven years running, The Naked Social party has been a monthly event and a private invite-only event. For the first time, the Naked Social becomes an open to public event. Cis and trans men of all body types, ages, races, and backgrounds come together to hang out and play in the nude. You’re required to strip down naked, except for shoes. Harness, cock rings, and cock cages are allowed. It encourages body positivity and diversity and fosters a sense of community.

This event is produced by Rakehs Modi, previously owner of Club OMG, famed for their naughty underwear parties.

Full details and ticket information.

The Fuzz Ball at Eagle, produced and DJ’d Matt Consola

The producers of Eagle’s regular Rogue event are coming in hot with The Fuzz Ball Geared to hunky hairy men and the men that crave them. DJ /Producer Matt Consola (Daddy Issues, Swishcraft) provides the beats and gogo hunks bring the treats. Plenty of dark corners at the Eagle both indoors and in the outdoor courtyard for things that like to bump in the night as hundreds of horny leather clad men looking to "Play By Your Own Rules."

Full details on the Facebook page for the event.

DJ Matt Consola on Mixcloud.

Code at Edge, with DJ Sean McMahon

Code is The Edge’s monthly event bringing leather back to the Castro with geared-up gogos and a no-frills bar packed with congenial leather-clad gents and resident DJ Sean McMahon, spinning Code’s signature dark and cruisy beats.

Resident DJ Sean McMahon on Mixcloud or Facebook. 

Event’s confirmed with details will be on page Edge’s events listings on Facebook, the Code page on their site, or their Instagram.

Black, Brown, & Kinky at Powerhouse, produced by Onxy Northwest

The Northwest chapter of Onyx kicks off the weekend at our favorite dive-bar Powerhouse featuring sexy kinksters, jello shots, leathermen of color with geared up gogos, fetish demos and more. Photos of past events on their site.

No Facebook page for the event yet, but stay up to date and follow Onyx NW on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and their site.

Men’s BDSM Play Party produced by the 15 Association at Transform 1060

As you can see, Transform 1060 is getting a workout this weekend. It’s always been fantastic and fascinating that the city has a literal rentable dungeon and enough patrons and special interests to keep it up and running.

“Bind or be bound. Serve or be served. Whip or be whipped. Piss or be pissed on. Your fantasies are our reality.”

The 15 Association is the longest-standing gay male BDSM Association in the western USA. It’s a social and sexual fraternity for men who engage in BDSM and other kink play, and has been hosting monthly play parties for more than 40 years. Our Up Your Alley weekend play party is the hottest of the year with over 100 men, boys, masters, and slaves engaging in hot and heavy play.

This party sells out this year. Buy your ticket early.

If you have not attended one of our parties in the past, click the "Request Invite" button on the website, the15association.org.

15 Association also produce a men’s public play space at the fair itself equipped with crosses, benches, and bondage tables. Bring your own gear and be ready to sign a relesase.

Details on the Facebook page for the event and the 15 Association’s Facebook page.

Daddy Issues at Stud, produced by Ollyw00d with DJs Kit, Dwayne Says, and Dev

Another daddy party bring you the DILFs for DOre.

Details on the Stud site.

Sunday, July 30th

Nocturnal at Halcyon, produced by Ky Martinez with DJs Jerac and Nick Stracener

Nocturnal for Dore is before the fair. Sunday morning. Before the fair.

And right as the Saturday night parties come to a close into the wee hours of Sunday morning, Ky’s got the afterparty where everyone will be going.

Halcyon (formerly the old Beatbox space) is one of only three clubs in the world to feature the Dolby Atmos immersive sound system. Halcyon regularly ranks among the top clubs in the country and is noted for its all-women management and being a welcome home for LGBT events and producers. The exposed brick and steel keeps the warehouse vibe alive and with one of the city’s few 24-hour liquor licenses, DJs have been known to spin from dusk to dawn and into the afternoon.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and tickets at kymartinezevents.com.

Photo from DoTheBay

Up Your Alley Street Fair, produced by Folsom Street

And then there’s the fair. We’ll probably go for a bit. It’s funny how it seems kinda normalized anymore for us to go to a street fair and see a guy chained to a telephone pole being whipped or porn stars playing Twister in jockstraps or a domme in a carriage being pulled by a quartet of human ponies or shirtless women being flogged to “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” Like Folsom, the fair encapsulates the crazy kinky libertine spirit of San Francisco – and with Up Your Alley it’s much grittier and more queer/gay than Folsom Street Fair.

You will see people dressed in their favorite fetish attire. Some of these kinksters wait all year for events like this to strut their stuff and fly their freak flag. If you don’t like it or roll your eyes at people or can’t delight in seeing perverts celebrate their perversions, don’t be a twat about it. Get the fuck out of there and go to Woodfield Mall. Not everything is for everybody.

Full details will be on the Folsom Street website.

ROMP at 1015 Folsom, produced by Brian Kent Productions and Paradigm, benefitting Folsom Street and Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation, with DJ Russ Rich

The official closing party of Up Your Alley. Last year’s event featured an Alice in Wonderland theme with an overgrown Alice’s massive legs and shoe running all the way up to the ceiling (video on Instagram).

This year Brian Kent and the Paradigm team are taking you to the seductive shores of TittiKawka Island where James Bondage is on his mission. “Bondage teams up with the rumpalicious Bussy Galore to tackle the mischievous machinations of the island's villainous vixens. But hold on to your stash, because things get shaken, not stirred, when Bondage crosses paths with the bodacious Titzy Normous, whose curves could stop a double-decker bus in its tracks! Watch out for Krystal Katastrophie, the femme fatale with a penchant for chaos, who's glitter bombs stir up trouble hotter than a confetti volcano. As Bondage juggles saving TittiKawka, wooing Titzy, and outwitting Krystal Katastrophie, the island heats up with more than just tropical temperatures. But beware the Them-Bot with their electric energy pulsating through the island’s underground that will put any violet wand to shame.”

Can James Bondage thwart his enemies and embrace his kinks on the island of seduction and intrigue before time runs out?

At the helm of a seven-hour set, resident DJ/Producer Russ Rich has brewed up his unique blend of psychedelic black tea with notes of vocal house, leather, peak-time anthems, rubber, and harder, driving rhythms.

The party benefits Folsom Street and Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation.

Russ Rich on Instagram, Facebook, SoundCloud, Mixcloud, and his amazing mix from REAL BAD 32 (that explosive opener in part one and then carrying us until the night with part two).

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and tickets available on EventBrite.

Heaven at Halcyon, produced by Ky Marintez Events, with DJs Isis Muretech and and Giovanni Sainz

Back for it’s third year, Ky Martinez and the gang’s got you set for Sunday night at City Nights with a Dore edition of their Heaven party at Halcyon.

Isis Murtech is a fantastic talent that blends latin drums and influence with a rough jungle beat with residencies at Mantamar Beach Club (Puerto Vallarta) and Jubileo (Mexico City). Do not be fooled. She’s a cheery cheeky pixie Mexicana but once she’s behind the decks, she’ll tear your face off. Here she is, starting off a previous Heaven party where she basically drives a semi-truck through the fucking club while the Kool-Aid man breaks down a wall and declares, “GO FULL LATINO:” Video on Facebook.

House Party (their second-Saturday house music event at Powerhouse) resident DJ Giovanni Sainz also joins the lineup to keep that ass moving.

Isis Muretech on Instagram, Facebook, and SoundCloud.

Giovanni Sainz on Instagram, Facebook, and SoundCloud.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and you can buy tickets on kymartinezevents.com.

Deviants at SOMArts, produced by Fog City Pack and Folsom Street, benefitting Folsom Street organization

Deviants Adult Arcade, the official closing party of the weekend, is back for their Dore edition. The Fog City Pups (they produced Beta party you were at just last night) are setting up shop at SOMArts cultural center. Join Folsom Street, the pups, MÜLL & QT Cruising at for an intimate gathering immediately following the street fair. Dance to the finest tunes with us from 6 PM to 3 AM at 934 Brannan Street.

Full details on the Facebook page for the event and here’s the link for tickets.

Horse Market Unbridled at Spritz, produced by the Stable Master

And the third event from the Horse Market folks is back with their Sunday night event called “Unbridled” and will be more of a traditional fuck party with a smaller area for Horse Market setup, (no WS or FF pls): “There’s no choosing top or bottom beforehand and there’s no lottery. They can get that Horse Market experience if they like or they can just meet people like normal and have sex on all the different furniture we have. It’s a pretty big space and we have a lot of furniture. We will have non-alcoholic drinks for people to purchase and some free snacks.”

Continue to get updates from Twitter, or their mailing list and learn more on the site for the event.

Disco Daddy at Eagle, with DJ Bus Station John

After the fair, head over to The Eagle where DJ Bus Station John spins classic and rare disco, Hi-NRG, and R&B. It features seven hours of old-school dancing and cruising at San Francisco's iconic leather bar. A friendly heads-up to newbies: the Disco Daddy dance floor is a cell phone and camera-free zone out of respect for the DJ, fellow dancers, ans time to unplug from our devices and connect with each other. And rumor has it that doorman Prince Woof is polishing her paddle for the occasion!

Full details on the Facebook page for the event.

Monday, July 29th

Recovery at Lookout, with DJ Bugie

Why stop the party? Join everybody at Lookout or any of the other Castro bars Monday afternoon to keep things rolling until you’re ready to get back on the plane and think about your choices.

DJ Bugie is a veteran local DJ. You’ll love it.

Last Change Underpants at Eagle, with DJ Damon

The unofficial Closing Party for all those left not feeling like you've had the"Dore Alley Experience" you wanted or those who did and just wanna let loose and party in your underpants one last night. DJ Damon, happy hour drinks, and half naked men is the best way to cap of a weekend like this.

You look amazing. Get photos.

You probably look foyne as fuck this weekend. You should preserve the moment. Our friend, photographer Trevor Ott will be again doing his impromptu photo shoots with the street fair as the backdrop. We did a shoot with him at Dore a few years ago (above) and had a great time. Contact him on Facebook if you’re interested and peruse his work on Instagram. One day you will look at those photos and say, “Dear God, I was a beautiful thing!”

Dore on a Budget

Travel, tickets, transportation, refreshments, enhancements… this kind of weekend ain’t cheap. But, if you’re trying to keep spending to a minimum:

Echo the old-school Castro clone look of our forefathers with tight jeans, a t-shirt (probably no-shirt), and boots. GQ recently published a history of the Castro clone look.

If you feel you have to have some sort of leather on ya, grab an armband from Mr. S or one of the other stores.

Hang out at the bars in Castro and SOMA (historically known as “the Valley of the Dolls” and “the Valley of the Kings,” respectively). They’ll be packed with lots of other guys that are more into the cocktails & cruising dynamic. Most bars will have a modest cover charge.

Most of the bars are walkable from transit. If it’s super late you don’t want to be walking around too much in the dark. Keep your phone in your pocket, headphones off, and keep your wits about you. It’s San Francisco, but it’s still a big city with crazy people.

If you really have barely any money at all, you must use it to go to the fair. If ten bucks is all you have, give it to the fair and charity that is the centerpiece for the weekend.

Volunteer for events. Another way to keep costs down is to volunteer for events. For the first few years we were here, Ron and I were greeters and ticket-takers at lots of parties and that was fun because you literally meet everyone their way in and you get to put wristbands on hot guys and once your shift is over you can go dance.

Quick Run Down of FAQs

Jump to the end of my Folsom guide for the extended set of FAQs)

In short:

• Vaccine #1: Monkeypox is back, hoes. The gays stopped it once, we can stop it again.

• Vaccine #2: Get COVID vaccinated and boosted. Get the bi-valent booster if you haven’t yet.

• Vaccine #3: Get a meningitis vaccine while you’re at it. Your local CVS, Walgreens, etc. should have it available or your primary care physician.

• Vaccine #4: Get the HPV vaccine, too , if you’re the right age (it’s expanded) and have coverage. HPV can lead to forms of anal cancer. Having lesions burned off the inside of your asshole is not fun.

• Get a prescription for DoxyPEP if you can. It’s basically antibiotics you take after sex. Take it and give some to your tricks after you’re done cuddling. It’s keeping STI infection rates super low right now. How it works.

• Get STI testing 2 weeks beforehand so you have enough time to get your results and complete a round of antibiotics if needed. Get on PrEP, of course, if you’re negative; make sure you have enough meds in your luggage if you are. And every gay man – hell everyone – should know that undetectable is untransmittable. If you are an intermittent whore, know about the PrEP 2-1-1 “on demand” protocol (poster).

• Be gracious to security (many of them are also gay and giving up their weekend to take care of your messy friends). Always say good night and thank you as you leave.

• Thank the EMTs for taking care of our trashy brethren.

• Coat/clothes check is usually a bitch. Lines are long. Plan accordingly. We usually plan hoe-optional ensembles that are not dependent on checking shorts – and we don’t bring jackets.

• Never mix G and alcohol, or G and other depressants. Know your mLs. Just one milliliter – 1/5 of teaspoon! – can be the difference between being persuadable and having a nice evening versus your knees buckling and your friends pissed they have to take you home (or so pissed they hand you off to the EMT). When in doubt, wait an hour or stop altogether. If you forget if you already put it in that drink, throw the drink out, start again. Don’t leave drinks unattended.

• If everyone around you looks like you, go somewhere else. It’s not just a bunch of hairy white guys only interested in fucking their mirror image.

• Don’t spend a party or the fair looking for acquaintances or waiting for that one guy that you saw on the apps or that dickhead you know from Instagram. You are where you are. Be there.

• Don’t grab piercings without asking first.

• Know your hanky/armband code. Left side, top. Right side, bottom. Both sides, vers. Color chart (history). But remember sometimes yellow is just a sartorial choice.

• Fuck your fan clacking and don’t bring parasols to parties (it fucks up event photos).

• You have the right to have a fucking great time no matter how you look or how you feel about how you look. You don’t have to look a certain way to enjoy the weekend. Don’t wait until you “lose the weight” or “do a cycle” or whatever other barrier to entry you’re setting for yourself. 

• Get tickets early. In SF, we buy first tier tickets early. Months early. If you have tickets you’re not using, announce they are for sale on the respective event or producer’s Facebook page. If you’re looking for tickets, same thing. If you pay at the door, you’ll pay out the ass. Watch out for scalpers online.

• If you are sober, be sure you know which Whatever Anonymous meetups are happening at all times so you can stay on the straight and narrow while being bent over.

• The week beforehand, make sure you have all your tickets. If they are in your email, use the pin/star feature to make sure they bubble up to the top or take screencaps of all your QR codes. UPDATE: OMG I did again. We were in line for Big Muscle at Dore weekend last year, and they found that I bought two tickets for the Folsom party but could only find one ticket for the Dore one. I made a mistake. Again. Ron was silent as we moved into the line to buy a ticket. Luckily they had tickets available and it moved fast. Would have been a quiet walk home.

• And Daddy Aaron’s rule: No in-town trade when out-of-town trade is in. If you’re local, don’t make this the weekend you make it happen with that local guy you’ve been over-staring at the gym. Focus on the fresh, transient meat.

• There’s not a lot of cabs. You’ll use Lyft and Uber a lot.

• SF is colder than you think during the day it will be, but you probably can leave jackets at home at night since you’ll be surrounded by hot men radiating heat.

And of course – Folsom’s rule applies to Dore:

See you on the dance floor, gentlemen…

…and ladies, and everyone else in between. It’s incredibly rewarding to have guys from all over the world say hi and say that they read my guide or shared it with friends. So, if you see us on the dance floor, say hello. Look for the complimentary Polynesian sleeve tattoos on the sexy Filipino muscle dad with the huge smile dancing with abandon and probably waving (but never clacking) a majestic fan (my husband Ron) and the semi-serious/RBF’d inked bearded white muscle daddy wolf trying to keep up with him (me).

Thanks for reading – please share!

Andy (with editing/etc. from Ron)

p.s. You can follow my writing on Facebook, Twitter, Mastodon, and enjoy cat photos, thirst pics, Ron’s Stepford streak, aggressive shirtlessness, and fear of aging on my Instagram (andymaticgram), but actually Ron posts better photos on his Instagram (ronamatic) and his account for his pandemic macaron obsession (macarons_by_ron). My site is jacked so you can’t read past guides right now but you can read about that time I turned 40 or when we got married, on the Little Gay Guide podcast, or on the Daddy Issues podcast talking about roids and racism, why gay Trump supporters are such terrible people, and being pretty vs smart.

p.p.s. Typos are my gift to you. If you’re eagle eye catches one, DM me on Ig or Fb.