ART+PRIDE SHOW ENDS JULY 15

The annual Art+Pride Exhibition, soft defiance, opened on June 17 at the Harvey Milk Center for the Arts and continues through July 15. soft defiance is a collaboratively-curated visual arts exhibition led by Harvey Milk Center for the Arts and the Photo Center, queer arts organization Diamond Wave, and LGBTQIA+ mental health service provider Queer LifeSpace (QLS).

Gallery hours are Tuesday-Thursday, 3-8:30 p.m. and Saturday, 11 a.m.-p.m., closed Sunday, Monday, and Friday.

Resisting negativity and hatred is a constant uphill battle for many historically marginalized queer and trans communities that requires a firm commitment to centering one’s own mental health and wellness. soft defiance is a celebration of this commitment to our sustained emotional and spiritual well-being.

This has been a month of programming addressing softness and queer mental health and there are three events left scheduled for the last week of the show:  Saturday, July 8, 1-3 p.m., In the Face of Fear workshop; Tuesday, July 11, 6-8 p.m., Cycle Practice workshop; and, Saturday, July 15, 12-5 p.m., Queer Wellness Symposium. For more information, please visit www.harveymilkphotocenter.org.

CASTRO ART WALK AT HARVEY MILK CENTER

The Castro Art Walk is back in the neighborhood and returns to San Francisco as a monthly event after a two-year hiatus. The Harvey Milk Center for the Arts as one of the 16 stops on the self-guided art tour!

The list of participating businesses and the path of each Art Walk may slightly change  each Castro Art Walk event, depending on which local businesses participate to showcase local аrtists and exciting installations for their patrons. This free event is for all ages and open to everyone!

HELP PLANT TREES THIS SATURDAY

We will planting trees on the south side of the Dog Play Area this Saturday, July 8, from 10 a.m.-noon as part of our July volunteer day. Last month we refreshed the planted areas around the Scott Street Labyrinth and in May we planted 30 Ceanophus in the raised planter bed along the sloped area between the south stairs next to the Photo Center and the MUNI retaining wall.

All gloves and tools are provided and young children are always welcome! Rain will cancel the event. Even 30 minutes of your time makes a big difference in the appearance of Duboce Park. Our volunteer day is always the second Saturday of every month. Contact Rose at 415-255-8370

SUMMER CLASS REGISTRATION

Registration for Summer activities, programs, and classes continues. Rec & Park is not  offering their usual classes this summer at the Harvey Milk Center for the Arts since the facility is hosting Summer Day camps (see information below). Photo classes continue at the Harvey Milk Photo Center during the summer, however.

There are lots of classes this summer at other parks and recreation centers around the city. There are courses for all ages: tots; youth; tweens & teens; adults; and, adults 55 and older. You can register and view the complete list with descriptions, times, and costs at sfreconline.org or in the 48-page catalogue available at the Rec Center or Photo Center. Rec and Park offer annual Recreation Scholarships to eligible, low-income individuals and families.

SUMMER DAY CAMPS

Summer Day Camps continue at the Harvey Milk Center for the Arts.  There are still two 2-week camps for ages 8-12 are being offered, starting on July 10, and July 24.

If your child loves to make art all day long, consider a summer camp at the Harvey Milk Recreation Center! Rec and Park offer intensive art making classes where campers can explore and develop their artistic abilities in visual art, creative writing, storytelling, and movement, led by art specialists. Projects will focus on multi-step processes and challenge fine motor skills.

Young People’s Teen Musical Theater Company (YPMTC) is offering three-day camps at Harvey Milk to teenagers 13-17 years old: Vocal & Acting Camp from July-10-21, and Dance Camp from July 24-August 4.

There are still the old-time favorites at other City parks, like Silver Tree and Pine Lake, but also some new camps. The Ropes Course Experience will challenge campers while teaching teamwork at the McLaren Park Ropes Course, Camp Mania is a new sports camp for tween & teens at Glen Park and Eco Center’s Wetland Explorers will having camper’s exploring nature through hikes and science based activities.

There’s also a multitude of sports camps being offered around our City at centers like Kezar Pavilion, Crocker Amazon, and more. Urban Sports at Moscone Rec Center and the All Girls Sports Camps are some awesome choices. For more information or the catalogue of camps, please visit sfreconline.org.

TAKE YOUR PHOTOS TO THE NEXT LEVEL

At Harvey Milk Photo Center, there are classes for all levels of photography being offered this summer. Are you looking to learn more about your new DSLR camera? Have you ever wanted to develop and print your own film? Could Lightroom help you organize and speed up your workflow?

One way to take your photographs to the next level is with Adobe Photoshop’s powerful digital editing tools. Beginning Adobe Photoshop starting on July 20 will navigate a wide variety of features including layers, color manipulation, text, brushes and filters while working on individual class projects. Learn the basics while having fun. You will need to bring a laptop with the current version of Photoshop and a thumb drive. Basic computer skills required.

There are lots of other great photography classes being offered at the Harvey Milk Photo Center including: Advanced Lightroom starting July 8; Beginning Adobe Photoshop, July 20; Luminograms, July 26; and, Matting, Framing, Presenting Your Photos, August 12.

PARKS IN THE NEWS

The legendary San Francisco Bay Area Pro-Am basketball league has returned to Kezar Pavilion (755 Stanyan Street). The league features many talented hoopers ranging from professionals to college players, with league alumni including Steph Curry and newly crowned NBA champion Aaron Gordon. Attend these FREE games throughout the summer with games Monday-Thursday bat 8 p.m.

June marked the annual celebration of Pride Month, with one of San Francisco’s Pride traditions being the installation of a giant pink triangle on Twin Peaks‘ north-east face. This symbol, which was used by the Nazis to label and shame homosexuals, has been reclaimed by the LGBTQ+ community as a symbol of pride. The Pink Triangle website describes it “as a visible yet mute reminder of man’s inhumanity to man” and “an educational tool for all to see.” The enormous shape is 200 feet across and can be seen from 20 miles away.

The fourth year of Sundown Cinema Film Night in the Park features Moana at Crane Cove Park on July 21 and Mamma Mia (sing along) at Dolores Park on August 18. Film screenings begins after sunset around 8:30 p.m. and are sponsored by SF Parks Alliance and Alamo Drafthouse.

A proposal to put on a series of outdoor concerts in the Golden Gate Park Polo Fields and downtown plazas has been updated to include key benefits: free Muni rides for concertgoers and additional funding for community interests in the Sunset and Richmond districts.

Another Planet Entertainment’s (APE) permit request  includes two to three ticketed concerts in Golden Gate Park’s Polo Fieldsfor three years starting in 2024. Also included in the proposal are free downtown concerts in which APE would bring a musical act to Civic Center Plaza, Union Square and Embarcadero annually for the same three years.

While APE produces Outside Lands, the additional summer concerts in the Polo Fields would be separate, smaller, headliner-focused events. They would use a portion of the Outside Lands festival’s infrastructure to minimize impact on the park. The City’s permit fees, $1.4 million for a two-day event and $2.1 million for a three-day event, would allow the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department to continue to offer programming to children, adults, and seniors across the City and care for its facilities. The City currently faces a two-year budget deficit of $780 million.

NATIONAL NIGHT OUT MOVES TO PARK STATION

Park Station is hosting the 2023 National Night Out at Park Station this year on Tuesday, August 1, 5-7 p.m. after hosting the event in Duboce Park for the past six years. There is no cost for any of the activities or food. All ten San Francisco district police stations participate at locations in their respective districts.

The 40th National Night Out is the country’s united effort to promote neighborhood involvement to help stem crime and create safer neighborhoods by strengthening police-community relations and encouraging camaraderie by hosting neighborhood events. It’s a great chance to meet and interact with Capt. Hart and the officers from Park Station who patrol our neighborhood.

MUSIC IN THE PARKS

The free 86th Stern Grove Festival  is underway! Check out their amazing lineup of concerts, as well as the reservation schedule where you can RSVP for free tickets one month prior to the show.  Shows this month: Lyle Lovett and His Large Band on July 9; Angelique Kidjo on July 16; SF Symphony with Special Guest Lettuce on July 23; and, Bob Moses on July 30. This is San Francisco’s oldest music festival.

Outside Lands takes place in Golden Gate Park from August 11 to 13 and features headliners such as Kendrick Lamar, Foo Fighters, Odesza, Lana Del Rey and more!

35+ wineries will be pouring vino and good vibes at Wine Lands. 30 breweries will be on hand at Beer Lands for your hazy, hoppy, sour and crisp refreshment needs. Cocktail Magic is more than doubling in size. Sip on sensational cocktails, low ABV bevs and mocktails from 6 themed bars, with 2 additional bars providing specialty cocktail and food pairings.

Free outdoor music continues every week at the Golden Gate Park Bandshell’s with another series of concerts. Illuminate Live, brings more than 100 free concerts to the GGP Music Concourse in 2023. Shows feature R&B, soul, jazz, funk, reggae, salsa, electronic music/EDM, big band musicians, string ensembles, indie and psychedelic rock bands and many diverse singer-songwriters.

The 122-year-old Bandshell is the oldest structure in the Music Concourse, an open-air plaza built for the California Midwinter International Exposition of 1894.

COYOTE TIPS

Coyotes continue to be spotted in our parks and on our streets. They are naturally wary of people but can habituate to our presence and the reliable food sources that we provide.

If a coyote approaches you – shout, wave your arms, stomp your feet. The goal is to startle the coyote and encourage them to move away.

It is unlawful to harass or injure coyotes. San Francisco Animal Care and Control has these tips if you encounter a coyote:

• Walk away. Keep moving away from the coyote. Don’t run.
• Pick up small dogs and carry them if you see a coyote.
• Do not let your dog interact with a coyote. Do not allow dogs to chase coyotes.
• Keep your dog on leash – even in designated off leash areas – if coyotes are present.
• Carry a cane/stick, an air horn or a whistle with you on walks.
• Never let a coyote come between you and your child or pet.

JOIN FRIENDS OF DUBOCE PARK

Annual Membership dues for a Supporting Member are $25 per person and entitle you to voting privileges and participation in the governance of the organization. Your dues help cover the few costs we have, such as our website, newsletter, movie nights, and insurance.

Your tax-deductible membership is gratefully accepted and should be sent to Friends of Duboce Park, 71 Scott Street, San Francisco, CA 94117. Friends of Duboce Park are a 501(c)(3) organization. General Membership is still available at no cost but does not carry any voting privileges. Another way to show your support is by getting involved.

Our Mission Statement includes the following: “to organize and represent the collective interests regarding Duboce Park; to beautify and promote safety within Duboce Park; and, to initiate and/or support beneficial neighborhood projects on behalf of Duboce Park.”

JULY-AUGUST 2023 CALENDAR

Friday, July 7, 5-8 p.m. Castro Art Walk. Harvey Milk Center for the Arts.

Saturday, July 8, 10 a.m.-noon. Friends of Duboce Park Volunteer Day. Contact rose@friendsofdubocepark.org.

Wednesday, July 26, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Park Station Community Meeting via Zoom. RSVP to community@sfsafesafe.org.

Tuesday, August 1, 5-7 p.m. Park Station’s National Night Out. Park Police Station 1899 Waller St., SFPDParkStation!sfgov.org.

Tuesday, August 8, 6:30-8 p.m. Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association General Meeting. Harvey Milk Center. Visit dtna.org.

Saturday, August 12, 10 a.m.-noon. Friends of Duboce Park Volunteer Day. Contact rose@friendsofdubocepark.org.

Wednesday, August 23, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Park Station Community Meeting via Zoom. RSVP to community@sfsafesafe.org.