Named the "Official Band of San Francisco" in honor of its 25th anniversary, the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band is the first openly gay musical organization in the world, inspiring the formation of gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender/ intersex/questioning/queer bands, choruses and performing groups around the globe. Founded in 1978 by Jon Sims at the height of Anita Bryant's anti-gay crusade, the Band has made music to build understanding between gay and non-gay communities for more than two decades.

Performing 15-20 times a year, the Band is committed to community service. In addition to performing for hundreds of thousands at parades throughout the year, the Band presents its Cable Car Award-winning Community Concert Series, a series of free, pops-style symphonic concerts.

Its annual Dance-Along Nutcracker® draws sell-out crowds and has been regularly featured in local and national news media, including the San Francisco Chronicle; Good Morning, America; the Today Show and The Wall Street Journal.

The Band performs for local events like the San Francisco Domestic Partners' Ceremony at City Hall, the San Francisco AIDS Walk in Golden Gate Park, the Ol' Fashioned 4th of July Alternative Family Picnic at Yerba Buena Gardens, Clarendon Elementary School's Gay Awareness Day and the Seniors Connection New Year's Dinner at the Tenderloin YMCA.

Our Mission

The San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band provides for the education and musical development of its members, presents music-based programs for public benefit and for charitable purposes, promotes visibility of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, questioning, and queer (LGBTIQQ) communities and their allies, and builds understanding between and among LGBTIQQ and other communities. We believe that all talent is worthy of development and that visible artistic expression improves our communities’ health.

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The San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band is a proud charter member of the Lesbian and Gay Band Association (LGBA), an international group with 25+ member bands and partner organizations. Over the years, LGBA has facilitated the creation of numerous new local LGBT Bands, while also organizing many major "massed band" performances. These have included every Gay Games, three Marches on Washington, two Presidential Inaugurations, and appearances in major venues including Hollywood Bowl, Madison Square Garden, the Alamo, DAR Constitution Hall, Jordan Hall (Boston), Jones Hall (Houston), Davies Symphony Hall (San Francisco), and the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park during the 2006 Gay Games VII held in Chicago. To learn more about LGBA or support their efforts, click on their logo.