San Francisco weekend traffic and transit: Sikh Parade and Festival

The May way has come and gone and June is in bloom in San Francisco, as the city gears up for another big weekend.

But despite the sunny forecast, there’s always a gray cloud or two lurking around, as several big-ticket SF events will affect traffic and transit and possibly ensnare your weekend in unanticipated gridlock.

To keep that from happening, here’s a heads-up about this weekend’s reroutes and street closures, according to SFMTA:

Ghirardelli Square Festival, June 9-10:

Ghirardelli Square itself has a long and hallowed history, but this weekend’s Saturday and Sunday festivities are a first-time endeavor.

The promise of “arts and crafts, live entertainment, festival food favorites, [and] craft beer and wine” will presumably draw hefty crowds to Beach Street, so from 12:01 a.m. Saturday through 12 a.m Sunday, the following street closures are in effect:

• Beach Street between Larkin and Westerly Terminus
• Polk between North Point and Beach

The 19 Polk Muni line will have to reroute around the closures for the 24-hour period.

Haight-Ashbury Street Fair, June 10:

On the other hand, the Haight-Ashbury Fair is a tried and true annual shindig, now in its 41st year and sporting a musical lineup on Sunday that includes Revenant, the Mermen, and Jackson Saints & Friends.

While there’s plenty to love onstage, those just trying to get around the neighborhood may come to “Haight” the jamboree of street closures if they get caught in any resulting traffic. So fair warning, the following closures will go down between 3 a.m. and 9 p.m. Sunday:

• Haight between Masonic and Stanyan
• Ashbury between Page and Waller
• Belvedere between Page and Waller
• Shrader between Page and Waller
• Clayton between Page and Waller
• Cole between Page and Waller

The size of the area means that the 7 Haight, 33 Ashbury, 43 Masonic, 37 Corbett will all have to reroute on Sunday. On top of that, early morning N Judah buses will also reroute starting at 3 a.m.

Sikh Parade, June 10:

The city refers to this as the “Sikh Parade and Festival,” although the event listing on SF Station identifies it as the “Annual Remembrance March and Freedom Rally,” which “commemorates the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, who sacrificed his life for the freedom of religion.”

According to a biography on Sikhs.org (billed as the oldest site dedicated to education about the Sikh religion and its history, dating to 1994), Guru Arjan was a 16th century religious leader executed by the Indian Emperor Jahangir in 1606 for his teachings.

The event also commemorates (and protests) the anniversary of 1984 Indian army raid on the Sikh Golden Temple in the city of Amritsar.

The parade begins marshaling at 10 a.m. and moves out at noon, “west along Market Street to McAllister Street, then [will] proceed south on Larkin Street and enter the Civic Center Plaza from the Larkin Street side.” The festival wraps up at 4 p.m.

Street closures will be temporary and keep pace with the parade progress. According to SFMTA:

Westbound Market Street will be closed for the parade. Traffic on cross streets will be allowed. San Francisco Police Officers will be present to control traffic. When the parade units pass, SFPD officers will resume and re-open streets. Motorists are advised to allow extra travel time.

The route crosses the path of the 2 Clement, 5 Fulton, 6 Haight, 7 Haight, 8 Bayshore, 9 San Bruno, 10 Townsend, 12 Folsom, 19 Polk, 21 Hayes, 27 Bryant, 30 Stockton, 31 Balboa, 38 Geary, 45 Union, and F Market routes, and Muni riders should anticipate possible delays on those routes Sunday afternoon.

• Transit & Traffic, June 7, 2018 [SFMTA]
• Ghirardelli Square Festival
• Haight Ashbury Street Fair
• Remembrance March & Rally [SF Station]
• Guru Biography [Sikhs.org]
• Indian Army Raid Ended In Disaster [Telegraph]