We take Pride seriously at Kimpton. After all, there’s much to celebrate. And this year, where to start? Well, how about with the Supreme Court’s decision to grant equal rights for all to marry whomever they want. Best news ever. In fact, we were so elated that we put love on the map for you.
On June 25th, we celebrated extra hard when we kicked off San Francisco Pride with a party to support our philanthropic partner of two years, The Trevor Project. These amazing folks work tirelessly to provide 24/7 crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ youth, so throwing a bash for the record books was the least we could do.
Margaret Cho, Kimpton CEO Mike DeFrino and The Trevor Project’s CEO Abbe Land raise a toast
Held at Dirty Habit, CIRQUE: A Celebration of Pride was a vintage carnival of otherworldly delights. Both the venue’s indoor space and large outdoor patio were transformed into a pageant of fun complete with a tarot tent, sideshow booth (photo booth compliments of SnapFiesta), and sexy circus performers who contorted, juggled, and whirled through the crowd.
Beyond a feast for the eyes, the taste buds had one too. Dirty Habit’s chef, David Bazirgan, debuted his brand new carnival themed summer menu at CIRQUE. Boudin blanc corn dogs, foie gras cotton candy, and spiked root beer slushies were just a few of the tasty treats attendees were able to experience firsthand.
Spiked slushees by Dirty Habit Bar Manager Brian Means
As party-goers mingled, DJ DAMnation warmed up the dance floor. Then, local audio-heroes and SF Pride Main Stage headliners, Go BANG! DJs Steve Fabus & Sergio Fedasz, rocked the house until closing with their signature upbeat, disco-tinged sound.
Rounding out the evening was the hilarious and incredibly gracious Margaret Cho who took a break from her current comedy tour to co-host the evening. After tickling the crowd with stories of her own awkward youth and how important it is to feel accepted and loved, she encouraged all who identify as queer, to live proud and be happy, so that the youth of today would know that all will turn out ok. She then set up a selfie station for attendees to snap photos with her. Seriously, could Margaret be any cooler?
As we said, there’s so much to celebrate. The Supremes getting it right. Supporting The Trevor Project and its incredible efforts to help and save lives. A Pride kick-off party that included Margaret Cho, Go BANG!, and 300 of the most beautiful people imaginable. And 34 years of loving our LGBTQ guests and employees. Truly, we couldn’t be more proud.
Photos: Devlin Shand; View Full Event Photo Album
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