Saturday, September 30, 2017 – 1 PM to 4 PM

National AIDS Memorial Grove – Golden Gate Park

Music by: DJ Black Velveteen

Our Beneficiary: Planned Parenthood, Northern California

Come enjoy the sun, music, flora, and friends in the beautiful National AIDS Memorial Grove.  This event is open to all flow artists – fanning, flagging, poi, staff, hoopers and their supporters.  Flags available for use or just relax, take in the fun dance music and colorful visuals.  Bring a beverage, a lunch, something to sit on, and enjoy.

 

Music By Black Velveteen

Before she became Black Velveteen, Chris Offutt was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago. Her parents introduced her to a wide range of music:  Motown to Mozart and everything in between. Some frequently featured artists in young Chris’s house were Aretha Franklin, Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Wonder and James Taylor.  Current influences include Chris Fortier, Steve Porter, Wild Culture, Juliet Sikora, Mathias Meyer, Inxec, Milty Evans, Stimming.

From a very young age she dreamed of hosting her own radio show. In 2011 that dream came to fruition when she had her own show “Progressions in House” on FNOOB based out of London.

She currently does a monthly show for PURE.FM deep house channel in addition for looking for new DJs to host shows on the channel.

Chris has enjoyed DJing around the San Francisco Bay Area over the past 5 years. In 2012, she became the resident DJ and musical director at Aloft Hotel SFO. In 2013, she was DJing in the Pride Parade on the W Hotel float. In 2015, she was asked to perform on the Tantra Stage for Pride in San Francisco.  She was in rotation at The End Up and does guest spots at Monarch, The Great Northern and Wish. In 2016, Chris was asked to join AirPusher Collective.  She has also done guest mixes for FriskyRadio, Proton Radio and Elastic Beatz, both NYC based radio stations, as well as Proton Radio.

Whether she is spinning for friends and family in her home or on Parade floats and Art Cars in the dessert for Burning Man or Night Clubs, Black Velveteen never fails to delight and inspire her audience!

 

Our Beneficiary:  Planned Parenthood, Northern California

Planned Parenthood Northern California champions healthy communities and increases access to quality health care, information, and reproductive freedom by providing medical services, education, and advocacy. It is one of the most progressive and innovative Planned Parenthood affiliates in the United States. Planned Parenthood Northern California began offering high-quality health services in in 1929, and their service area has grown steadily since then to include urban and rural counties from San Francisco to Humboldt County on the Oregon border. As early as the 1970s, Planned Parenthood Northern California developed groundbreaking educational programming such as parent/child sex education workshops. In the 1980s, they were the first Planned Parenthood affiliate in the nation to provide HIV testing and counseling. Today, Planned Parenthood Northern California continues to lead with cutting-edge research, gender-affirming hormone therapy, infertility services, and mobile apps for birth control and fast treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Planned Parenthood Northern California’s doors are open to patients of any income, gender, immigration, or insurance status.

 

Where to Go

National AIDS Memorial Grove – Taking public transportation is encouraged, finding a place for your car can be challenging.  Never been there: pair up with someone who has been there; if you drive – go early for better parking, map here.  Walking directions from 2nd and Irving  (N-Judah).  Walking directions from 9th and Judah (Bus #6, #43, and N-Judah).  Walking directions from Stanyan and Hayes (Bus #21, #5).  Walking directions from Haight and Stanyan (Bus #33, #7, #71).

 

About Flagging in the Park

In 1997 a group of San Francisco flaggers started a tradition of celebrating life by gathering in the newly dedicated National AIDS Memorial Grove.  Twenty later, the event is thriving and growing, with the DJs, organizers, and participants donating their time, energy and love to help raise money for mostly local (sometimes national) non-profits.

 

What to Expect

The National AIDS Memorial Grove is in a gorgeously secluded meadow in Golden Gate Park.  Often the fog is licking at the sky above especially in the summer, bring sunscreen and a wrap.  Bring something to sit on; pack a lunch or bring snacks and beverages; flags are available for use; usually a few furry friends roaming.  There are little or no services nearby, but a Port-A-Potty will be available.  Our DJ spins vocal fun-filled dance music and flow artists eagerly enjoy and share their art with newcomers.  No pressure to participate, come relax and take in the color and beauty of our tribe. 

 

2017 Partners

Flagging In The Park is proud to partner again with Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation, the nonprofit behind REAL BAD – they will be offering a $2,000 matching grant for all of our 2017 events. Proving it takes a village, this event would not happen without the support of these partners: National AIDS Memorial GroveSisters of Perpetual IndulgencePretty in InkFlagger CentralFitness SFBenefit MarketingRyan Clouse, and the many volunteers that help with set up and strike. Make sure to let them know you appreciate their support of FITP!

 

2017 Producers

Joey Wong & Tom Steele (May), Ric de Barros & Andru Lopez (June), Jeff Kennedy (July), Michele Laskowski & Robert Gomez (early Sept), Amy Lam & Michele Laskowski (late Sept), Jeff Hettinger (retired), Jeffrey Doney (retired), and Xavier Caylor.