This weekend: Time lapse of the aurora borealis. Last Week: K-Pop fans, Musk on drugs, and a family of owls. This week: Kicking off Pride month with Drag Me Downtown and Bootie Mashup; plus Odd Salon, 'Pacific Overtures', and drink and draw.

Weekend Highlights

• Despite 90-degree heat, thousands showed up for the 40th annual Sonoma County Pride parade and festival in Santa Rosa, with this year's theme being "40 and Fierce." [KGO]
• More than 2,500 attended the San Mateo County Fair this weekend with drone shows, cultural events, live music, and lots of food, runs through June 8. [Bay Area News Group]
• Local photographer Alexander Glavtchev caught some stunning time lapse footage of the aurora borealis in Windsor, California on Saturday night. [KRON4]

Week in Review

Wrapping up the week of May 26-June 1.

Culture & Entertainment

• X/Twitter conveniently went down a few times when the Musk drug story dropped.
• Hundreds of K-Pop fans lined up to score front row seats at the Stray Kids show at Oracle Park.
• Harper Steele, former SNL head writer and the focus of the Netflix doc, Will & Harper, was named Celebrity Grand Marshal SF Pride, which recently gained some new smaller sponsors after losing several large corporate sponsors this year.
• The Pink Triangle installation is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, with this year’s ceremony focusing on the transgender community.
• 40-year-old legacy business Japan Video is closing.
• A family of owls are calling Bernal Heights their new home.

Air & Sea Incidents

• A United Airlines jet bound for SFO had to abort its takeoff in China after one of its engines caught fire on the runway.
• An oil-cleaning vessel owned by a company in Sausalito sank at a dock in Alameda.
• Nine people were rescued from a sailboat.
• A body was found in the bay near the Exploratorium.
• Five more gray whales have died in the Bay Area, which makes a total of 14 gray whale deaths in recent months.

Too Many Road Tragedies

• A driver was charged with felony vehicular manslaughter and DUI after running over and dragging a pedestrian in SoMa after she lay down in the middle of the street.
• A driver was killed after crashing their speeding SUV into parked DOT vehicles on the San Mateo Bridge.
• A pedestrian was killed, Dr. Marvin Boomer, near Lake Merritt in Oakland during a high-speed chase between CHP and a driver in a stolen vehicle.
• Police are seeking the driver who struck a mother and child and fled the scene in SF’s Richmond District.

Crime & Chaos

• An elderly man in a wheelchair was fatally stabbed on a Muni bus in Bayview near Bernal Heights.  
• A San Mateo father was charged with allegedly firing shots at his daughters’ bullies after they pranked his house.
• Well-known Bayview-Hunters Point community activist, Sauntek Harris, was arrested in the killings of four different people spanning 17 years.
• A suspect was arrested in the death of recent Lowell High School graduate Luis Arguello Inglis who was shot and killed at Dolores Park last year.
• An alleged arsonist linked to recent school playground fires in SF’s Outer Richmond has been arrested.

In the Courts

• At least two men were detained by ICE inside federal court in SF.
• More than 70 people showed up to the bail hearing of wine country ponzi schemer Kenneth Mattson saying he made off with their life savings.  
• 37-year-old Honduran national, Fernando Aguilera, was sentenced to four years in federal prison for firing a gun into the air outside a Mission bar and appearing to aim it at police in 2023.

Public Health Alerts

• Public health officials in Alameda and Santa Clara counties put out an alert about potential measles exposure at several retail locations in the last nine days, including H Mart in San Jose, Starbucks in Newark, and Trader Joe’s in Milpitas.
• A new COVID variant that’s behind a current surge in China has reportedly been in California for a month.
• A person was rescued with minor injuries after falling from a cliff along the Batteries to Bluffs Trail.

City Politics & Policy Moves

• Mayor Lurie has spared SF public safety agencies from budget cuts in his upcoming proposal to solve the projected $800 million deficit.
• As many as 1,400 jobs may be eliminated at City Hall, many of which are currently unfilled.
• The recall election for SF Supervisor Joe Engardio has been scheduled for September 16.
• SFUSD dropped its proposed alternative grading pilot project.

The Week Ahead

Looking ahead to June 2-8 — and kicking off Pride Month!

Tuesday:

Odd Salon SF: UNCHARTED: Explore strange frontiers and forgotten tales at this night of storytelling from the curious corners of history, science, and art. Expect topics like nitrous oxide experiments, occult feuds, and why ants never lose their way. Tuesday, June 3, 6:30-10 p.m. // Public Works, 161 Erie St // $25, 21+

Wednesday:

Drink & Draw Art & Raffle: Grab a drink, grab a pen, and join the artsy chaos at this Mission District favorite. Every first Wednesday, The Knockout hosts a free themed drawing night where bar patrons sketch their way to raffle prizes (cocktails included). Your masterpiece gets scanned and shared online for eternal glory. Wednesday, June 4, 6:30–9 p.m. // The Knockout, 3223 Mission St // free, 21+

Thursday:

Pacific Overtures: Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman’s groundbreaking musical Pacific Overtures returns in a rare production that blends Kabuki theatricality with Broadway grandeur. Directed by Nick Ishimaru, this visually stunning retelling of Japan’s forced opening to the West explores identity, imperialism, and cultural upheaval through a cast playing over 50 roles. Runs through June 15, Wed–Sat 7:30 p.m., Sun 2 p.m. // Brava Theater, 2781 24th St // $25-75

Friday:

Meet People Social SF: Cultural International Party: This weekly social brings together locals and visitors for a weekly mixer with music, drinks, games, and prizes. Show up solo or with friends and make some new connections in a relaxed setting. Friday, June 6, 5:30–10 p.m. // Alchemist Bar & Lounge, 679 3rd St // $4 online, 21+

Drag Me Downtown: The popular pop-up drag show will be hitting a new downtown SF location every Friday in June. Expect fierce performances, DJs, cocktails, and community vibes—all hosted by the iconic Bobby Friday and friends. Friday, June 6, 4:30–8 p.m. // One Market Restaurant, 1 Market St // Free or $10 to support The Transgender District, 21+

Saturday:

LGBooTie Pride: Bootie Mashup: Bootie Mashup kicks off Pride Month with a genre-bending, pop-diva-fueled dance party for queers and allies alike. Expect two rooms of mashups, drag and burlesque by The Monster Show (featuring Redd FaFilth & Xotchil), and unhinged queer visuals all night. DJs include Adriana A, DJ Tyme, ION THE PRIZE, Dada, and Jimi G (with live guitar mashups). Saturday, June 7, 9 p.m. ‘til late // Cat Club, 1190 Folsom St // $10, 21+

Image: Pacific Overtures/Facebook

Previously: Last Week, This Week: SF LGBT Center’s Building the Block House Party