Sister Roma to Lead San Francisco Queer History Bus Tour for Pride Month

Sister Roma will lead two queer history bus tours and singalongs on June 27 as part of a month-long series of drag events celebrating San Francisco Pride.

The famed Sister of Perpetual Indulgence will guide attendees on a 90-minute journey around downtown landmarks that hold queer historical significance. Later that afternoon, Bobby Friday and D’Arcy Drollinger will present performances from Mahlae Balenciaga and Carnie Asada at One Market. (Attendees also have the option of sticking around for One Market’s own drag revue and Pride-themed dinner that night.)

The June 27 celebrations will mark the grand finale of Drag Me Downtown, a series of pop-up drag performances every Thursday in June, presented by the Downtown SF Partnership. On June 6, Harrington’s Bar and Grill will host Afrika America and Oliver Branch. On the 13th, Tito Soto and Amoura Teese will perform at PABU Izakaya. And on the 20th, Tyson Check-in and Kipper Snacks will put on a show for The Third Floor at The Jay Hotel. Each event is hosted by Bobby Friday.

Though Drag Me Downtown is free to attend, those wishing to get their hands on some Pride 2024 goodies can pre-register for $10, the proceeds of which will be donated to San Francisco’s Transgender District. Since 2017, the cultural district has been taking steps to ensure tenant protections for Tenderloin residents, working with the city to preserve sites of LGBTQ historical significance and providing workforce development programs and other community-minded activities.

“As a San Francisco native and the city’s first drag laureate,” Drollinger shared in a statement, “my goal is and will always be to celebrate and elevate the art of drag. I am thrilled that I was asked to participate in bringing some sparkle to this fabulous series.”

Bobby Friday added: “I can think of no better way to celebrate Pride month by showcasing the talents of Bay Area drag performers at different venues around downtown, with its rich cultural history and beautiful spaces. Here’s to another fierce and fabulous Pride month celebrating what San Francisco has always been to me — a place that accepts and loves all!”

Sister Roma will host two bus tours on June 27, at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Early bird tickets cost $17.85 while general admission is $23.18. The second tour of the day has sold out.