2024 Flagging In The Park (Press Release)

Flagging In The Park joins Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation’s fundraising portfolio

SAN FRANCISCO, CA. May 1, 2024 — Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation today announced Flagging In The Park, the Bay Area’s unique flow-arts community building event, is now a part of GRGRF. The two groups have enjoyed an 11-year partnership with a shared mission to support and promote a happy, healthy, and connected Bay Area LGBTQ community.

Flagging In The Park is a beloved, quintessentially San Francisco event. It started in 1997 when a small group of flaggers gathered in the newly dedicated National AIDS Memorial Grove to celebrate life through music, dance, and, most importantly, flagging. Twenty-four years later, it’s still going strong as DJs, organizers, and participants donate their time and energy to help raise money for local and national charities.

Over the years, FITP with matching contributions and support from GRGRF has raised more than $345,000 for the LGBTQ community.

“We’re thrilled to join forces and welcome Flagging In The Park to our family,” said Eric Holmgren, GRGRF’s Board of Directors President. “FITP exemplifies ‘happy, healthy and connected.’ It is a perfect fit with the We Rise LGBTQ Scholarship and our signature fundraising events, bringing even more benefit to our community.”

"FITP is most grateful for the warm support extended to us by GRGRF, to deepen our partnership," said Xavier Caylor, Executive Producer. “We’ll have the expanded reach of GRGRF while continuing to operate our community building events the same way we have for over two decades."

Since 1989, GRGRF has raised and donated more than $3.9M to Bay Area LGBTQ nonprofits through fundraising efforts, scholarship grants, and major events, REAL BAD and RITUAL. Two years ago, the Foundation launched its We Rise LGBTQ Scholarship program to help queer youth, transgendered individuals, and members of the BIPOC community gain access to education and trade skills. Flagging In The Park joins this portfolio of programs and fundraising events, extending the Foundation’s impact to change lives in the Bay Area LGBTQ Community.

This year’s first Flagging In The Park event will be held on Sunday, May 12, 2024 at 1PM at the National AIDS Memorial Grove in Golden Gate Park. Please join us to kick off a beautiful season of joy and community support!

For more details on Flagging In The Park, see the Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/210802948952331