RIP Franchises of our youths

[Drunk Monk]

San Francisco's How Weird Street Faire ends 25-year run, citing ballooning costs
By Timothy Karoff,Culture ReporterNov 13, 2024
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Massive crowds show up for San Francisco's annual How Weird Street Faire as seen facing North on 2nd Street from the Electroluxx stage on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023,
Kevin Kelleher & Emily Trinh
After 25 years, a treasured slice of weird San Francisco may be on its way out.

In an statement shared with SFGATE, the producers of How Weird Street Faire announced that they will not apply for a permit in 2025, citing ballooning permitting and production costs. Since its first event in 2000, How Weird has grown from a Howard Street block party ("How Weird" is a loose homophone of Howard) to a massive electronic music event, complete with several stages and extravagantly costumed attendees. In recent years, the festival has drawn crowds of thousands, who don fur, leather and even TV sets to dance to electronic music. 
In spite of the event's popularity, How Weird has faced a challenging stretch. Promoters said that the event lost thousands in 2020, after the city's COVID protocols forced its cancellation. This year, How Weird originally planned a "Star Wars"-themed event for May 4, but a rainstorm pushed organizers to postpone the street party. Although a rescheduled autumnal equinox-themed event took place on Sept. 21, How Weird still lost money on up-front costs. 
Ultimately, promoters decided that the risk involved with the event was too great.
"Outwardly, the event this year appeared as a raging success, and in many ways it was with thousands of costumed revelers and no major incidents," How Weird Founder Brad Olsen wrote in the statement. "But the risk of producing independent outdoor events like How Weird without sponsorship or grants is just too overwhelming. Thank you San Francisco, and all our How Weird patrons over the years. It was a fantastic time. We are sure the music will play on.”
The news arrives at the end of an especially challenging year for music festivals and large-scale events, due to the double pinch of rising costs and sluggish demand. In California, Lucidity Festival, Desert Daze, Skull and Roses and Sierra Nevada World Music Festival all cancelled.

Never made it to How Weird. It alwasy looked like a good time...