An estimated 700 people attended outdoor movie night in Duboce Park on Thursday, August 23 to see Best in Show, a 2000 mockumentary film that offered a look into the highly competitive and cut-throat world of dog shows through the eyes of a group of ruthless dog owners. The movie won 11 awards, including AFI Movie of the Year and received 14 other nominations in a variety of categories.

Fortunately, the weather was mild and there was no wind. The festivities started at 6 p.m. with a dog costume contest, free balloon animals, food trucks, a beer and wine booth, and Duboce Park Café had a snack booth. The movie was part of Sundown Cinema, a series of free movies being shown in four San Francisco parks on Thursdays.

Sundown Cinema in Duboce Park was organized by San Francisco Parks Alliance and was hosted by Friends of Duboce Park. Other movies shown in other parks so far are Little Shop of Horrors at Conservatory of Flowers on June 28 and Mrs. Doubtfire in Alamo Square on June 26. The final movie is Grease and will be shown at the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater in McLaren Park on September 28. (Photos above and below by Zachary de Guzman / @zacharydeguzman)

TAG SALE POSTPONED UNTIL MAY 11

Friends of Duboce Park's 21st Annual Tag Sale has been rescheduled for May 11, 2019. Many of the key members of the tag sale committee are unavailable this September, so the Tag Sale has been rescheduled from September 8 to May 11. 

Although we tried to make a date in September work, that month was problematic for many volunteers and we decided to postpone the tag sale rather than trying to put on the event with so many important committee members unavailable. Friends is considering making the May date permanent. 

We apologize for any convenience this postponement may cause those of who have been saving items to donate. Thank you for your understanding. If you have any questions, please e-mail Rose at rose@friendsofdubocepark.org or at Doug at doug@friendsofdubocepark.org.

VERASPHERE PHOTO SHOW OPENS SEPTEMBER 21

The Opening Gala for Verasphere is Friday, September 21, 6-9 p.m. at the Harvey Milk Photo Center in Duboce Park and the show continues through October 14.

David Faulk (“Mrs. Vera”) and Michael Johnstone started creating art together in 1994 by photographing Mrs. Vera in Snapshots and Mrs. Vera’s Daybook Series of photographs, an on-going photo series examining everyday life, alienation, magic and survival. 

This provided them with relief from the anguish of the AIDS epidemic. Both men had been members of creative, vibrant groups of artists, drag queens, club performers, and theater people that were decimated by the epidemic.  Mrs. Vera enabled David and Michael “not to dwell on all the loss” going on around them.  

For their audiences, Mrs. Vera magically gave everyone permission to be silly and outrageous, with Michael there to make the photographs, to bear witness and make art of it.  They continue to make art to this day and often engage friends to participate in group performances. As a group, they are called Verasphere. 

Mrs. Vera’s and Michael’s greatest contribution to the world may be simply the exuberant joy they foment wherever they go – LGBTQ events, street fairs, festivals, and the annual San Francisco LGBTQ Pride Parade, before which the two conduct Michael and Mrs. Vera consider themselves to be direct descendants of the outrageous 1970s theatrical troupe the Cockettes, “turning up impromptu in many places, both appropriate and inappropriate… without the acid."

THREE LEGGED DOG PICNIC

About 100 people and 40 dogs attended the 8th Annual Three Legged Dog Picnic in Duboce Park on Sunday, July 8. The event,  hosted by Tri Pawed Dogs, was a s picnic for "Dogs with cones, casts, one eye, wheelchairs, blind, deaf, toothless, vintage, etc. all welcome.” Guests were encouraged to dress up their pups, there were blessings by Sister Chola de Dah from the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, and live ukulele music  from Belinda and her Uke. 

FALL REGISTRATION FOR TEXTILE CLASSES OPEN

Textiles – Intermediate Sewing is a class for anyone who has taken the "Introduction to Sewing" course and is ready to move on and learn more intermediate skills. This is a project-based class, in which everyone works on projects of their choice with guidance from the instructor. Enjoy sewing in a supportive community environment while working at your own pace with personalized instruction. Sewing machines and basic sewing kit supplies are provided. The class is on Tuesdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m., starting September 11.

Eight other textile classes are being offered this fall at the Harvey Milk Center for the Arts, including: Introduction to Sewing, two classes starting September 12 and 13; Kids Knit and Crochet, two classes starting on September 13 at 4 p.m. and p.m.; Sewing Together, two classes starting on September 22 at 10 a.m. and 11:45 a.m.’ and, Tween Fashion Star, September 12. 

There are almost 1,500 activities to choose from this fall, including 42 classes at the Harvey Milk Recreation Center for the Arts and 52 photography courses in the Photo Center. The complete catalogue of classes is available online or pick `up the 120-page catalogue in the lobby of the Rec Center or Photo Center.  

Recreation and Parks offers Recreation Scholarships to eligible individuals and families. More than $1 million in scholarships in Rec and Parks programs has been provided. Ongoing eligibility is dependent on attendance record. Please call Lillian Bautista, Scholarship Coordinator, at (415) 831-2717 for information on how to qualify.

The most heavily used sections of the Dog Play Area (DPA) are turning brown and are bare, specifically, the edges of the lawn near the Potomac Street benches and a few worn sections in the middle of the DPA. The area around the benches in the upper lawn are also bare and Rec and Park gardeners have been setting up extra irrigation as interim fix, according to Michelle Pallavicini, Park Services Manager. 

Rec & Park has tried a number of times recently to fix the problem by fencing off those areas and putting in new sod and/or adding new dirt and seed but heavy use adversely affects those areas, especially during the dry months of the year. 

2018 Outside Lands Music and Arts festival took place in Golden Gate Park on August 10-12 with three days of music, food, and art. This was the 11th year in a row the event was held in Golden Gate Park. The partnership between Outside Lands and Rec and Park has contributed over $20 million to our parks over the past decade and puts $75 million into the local economy annually.

The 18th Annual Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2018 starts on October 5 in Hellman Hollow, Lindley Meadow, and Marx Meadow in Golden Gate Park. The three-day musical extravaganza is free and attracts about 750,000 people.