How San Francisco's Castro is hoping to bring back its legendary Halloween celebration
Organizers plan to host a special edition of the monthly Castro Night Market on Oct. 31, again transforming the historic LGBTQ+ neighborhood into a festive nighttime celebration on Halloween.
'The last couple of years, Civic Joy Fund has pushed to bring Halloween festivities back to the Castro — a neighborhood where San Franciscans have traditionally celebrated the holiday — in a safe, joyful way that supports small businesses in the neighborhood,' a spokesperson for the nonprofit said Monday, Aug. 11.
The night market, typically held on the third Friday of each month, will shift to Halloween this year, as the calendar brings the holiday to a fifth Friday. Organizers hope to expand the event's footprint along 18th Street and include live entertainment stages, pending city approval.
The effort follows years of scaled-back Halloween activity in the Castro after a series of violent incidents, including a mass shooting in 2006, led city officials to shut down the legendary street party.
The tradition began in 1948 with a children's festival hosted by Cliff's Variety and grew into one of San Francisco's most prominent LGBTQ+ events by the 1970s.
Since 2023, the neighborhood has seen a more subdued but growing return of Halloween celebrations, supported by merchant grants and community groups, including the Civic Joy Fund — the nonprofit, co-founded by Manny Yekutiel, owner of Manny's café in the Mission, and Mayor Daniel Lurie, to revitalize San Francisco's commercial corridors.
Permitting and programming details are still in progress, but organizers are optimistic.
'Our partners at CG Events are currently working on the permitting for the event, so nothing is set in stone as of yet,' the spokesperson added.
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