Drag Me Downtown: A Queer History Bus Tour and Sing-Along

This ain't your mama's history lesson. Sister Roma of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence will join the GLBT Historical Society to spill the tea on the hidden LGBTQ+ past of downtown San Francisco (move over, The Castro!), while cruising past lesser-known queer landmarks and singing along to classic pride anthems. Attendees at the drag show following the tour will also be treated to performances by SF’s very own Drag Laureate, D’Arcy Drollinger. Drag Me Downtown is produced in partnership with Bobby Friday.

Early-bird tickets for the tour are available for $15 until June 13th with the price increasing to $20 after that. Seating is limited.

Maximum Capacity: 70
Wheelchair Accessible: Two secure spots are available on the lower level of the bus. Please email [email protected] to inquire about availability before purchasing your ticket.
Date: Thursday, June 27th, 3:30 – 5:00 pm

Hosts: Sister Roma and Shayne Watson

Location: Pick up and drop off at 1 Market St

Sister Roma

Sister Roma has been one of the most outspoken and globally recognized members of San Francisco's Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence for more than three decades. From raising over one million dollars for charity to creating social movements including Stop The Violence and taking on Facebook as the creator of the #MyNameIs campaign, Roma has dedicated more than half her life to community service, activism, and fundraising. She has served as the Grand Marshal of Pride in San Francisco, Prague, and Shanghai, and was recently named a 2023 Pride Honoree by the California State Legislature LGBT Caucus recognizing her decades of service.

But don't get it twisted, this Sister is no Saint! Her colorful wit and sharp tongue have made Roma one of San Francisco’s favorite entertainers and emcees, landing her front and center on the main stages of the SF Pride, Folsom Street Fiar, and Easter in the Park where she emcees the infamous Hunky Jesus Contest. Roma is blessed to travel the globe as an LGBTQ ambassador, performer, and event host, striving to uphold her Sisterly vows to expiate stigmatic guilt and promulgate universal joy. For those who question her title as The Most Photographed Nun in The World™ Roma has one thing to say: Google it!

Shayne Watson

Shayne Watson is an award-winning architectural historian and preservation planner based in the San Francisco Bay Area and a nationally recognized advocate for LGBTQ heritage in historic preservation. After founding Watson Heritage Consulting in 2014, Shayne co-authored the Citywide Historic Context Statement for LGBTQ History in San Francisco (2015) for the San Francisco Planning Department, and the San Francisco chapter of LGBTQ America (2016), the National Park Service theme study on LGBTQ history in the United States.

Outside of LGBTQ history, Shayne’s extensive architectural documentation projects encompass historic structure reports, historic context statements, National Register nominations, determinations of eligibility, and historic landscape reports. She also possesses expertise in preservation planning, including citywide historic resource surveys, cultural resources master plans, and compliance projects following CEQA and NHPA regulations. Shayne has worked as a sole-practitioner since 2014 and regularly contracts with local jurisdictions, as well as architecture and environmental-planning firms throughout the country.

Bobby Friday

Bobby Friday, the creative force behind Haus of Friday, specializing in event production, hosting/performing and custom styled wigs. Known for her Fierce, Fabulous, and Fresh to Death! aesthetic, proudly holds the title of Grand Duchess 48 of San Francisco. You can catch her as a regular host for Drag Brunch at Beaux and 620 Jones, and at other venues across San Francisco. She returns as Host for Drag Me Downtown.

Music: DJ JOEY

DJ Joey Gwynn is the Co-Founder of Bay Area DJ and Karaoke Event services, the largest karaoke vendor in the Bay Area. DJ Joey began DJ'ing in 1998 and has serviced events for every major tech company, major sports teams, and celebrities such as Billy Joe Armstrong and Miranda Lambert. DJ Joey Gwynn also works as a karaoke host at Pandora, San Francisco's premier karaoke bar. Honors include WeddingWire's Couples Choice award, Best of the Bay, and Yelp's Top 10 DJs.

Host or Publisher Downtown SF