Talk:Pink Saturday

Corporate sponsorship?

I'm trying to find some good sources on corporate sponsorship of Pink Saturday, especially in the early 1990s. I used to live in the Castro, and one year I walked over to Castro St. on the night of the festival and was flabbergasted to see huge banners proclaiming, "BUD LIGHT PRESENTS PINK SATURDAY". While it was a little disconcerting to see a local festival taken over by outside corporate interests, it was also more than a little thrilling to realize that Anheuser-Busch was willing to openly be associated with, and market to, the LGBT community. That is commonplace now, but 15 years ago it was meaningful. --MCB 22:59, 6 May 2007 (UTC)

As far I remember Pink Saturday was under the control of the merchants group of the Castro and they were trying to downplay the event so I doubt they set up the sponsorship. However any bar manager/owner could have hung that sign up and the beer company may or not have known if it was a street party or event just in the bar. Do you remember where you saw the banner?Benjiboi 22:08, 7 May 2007 (UTC)

The banners were on beer trucks on multiple locations along Castro from Market to 19th, the kind with mobile beer bars. It was like the setups the major beer labels bring to fairs, races, etc. I know it only lasted a year or two, because the Castro St. merchants (i.e., the bar owners) objected that they weren't getting the revenue. It was definitely an official Anheuser-Busch effort, though (or at least the regional distributor) since they got whatever permits were needed, brought the trucks, had banners made, etc. --MCB 07:02, 8 May 2007 (UTC)

There are still some old timers who would know for sure but what you indicate probably was 1990-1993 and I think the merchants group did control the event although they were newer to SF politics at that point. There was alsp loads of others (businesses and individuals who were also selling beer but but a beer truck had to have had a permit (that info is public record through SF Dept of Parking and Transit) I wouldn't bother trying to track that info through police records.The money probably came through Matagrano which is the main distributor in the Castro, no idea if they having tracking for street festivals going back that far.Benjiboi 10:50, 8 May 2007 (UTC)

Thanks. I haven't really tried to chase it down, but I'm guessing there might have been news stories in the Chronicle, Examiner, Bay Guardian, B.A.R., Bay Times, etc. --MCB 04:35, 9 May 2007 (UTC)

Well I think would be very good luck for them to mention sponsorships (but you never know). If you were to invest the time consider starting with the BAR and Bay Times which focus on the Castro and grab the issues going a week before and after to see if any event listings might have a mention or spell out sponsorships. I have seen an article or two about the orginal four or five folks who started Pink Saturday (I think 1990 was the first year) so maybe start there.Benjiboi 18:42, 9 May 2007 (UTC)

started 1990

"*1990, late June: San Francisco, Castro district: first "Pink Saturday" street party (on the night before the Pride Parade), which will become an annual tradition. [-Out in the Castro (2002)]"[1] Benjiboi 21:37, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

Possible source

• here, discusses recycling and trash. Banjeboi 03:44, 1 July 2008 (UTC)

• Pink Saturday 2007 community grants giveaway article. Banjeboi 03:46, 1 July 2008 (UTC)

• here gives street closure info for 2007. Banjeboi 03:55, 1 July 2008 (UTC)

removed COI tag

I just removed the COI tag from this article. The current content was all already present before this supposedly involved editor made any contribution to it, compare [2] with [3]. --Reinoutr (talk) 13:53, 21 September 2009 (UTC)