San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band

The Official Band of San Francisco

San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band is the first openly-gay musical organization in the world, inspiring the formation of LGBTQ+ 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 among communities of all sexual orientations and identities for more than four decades.  Ever since making a splash by marching up Market Street with Harvey Milk’s convertible in the 1978 San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade, the Band has been appearing throughout the City and its environs to promote LGBTQ+ visibility.  In the time since then, we’ve played at community and civic events throughout San Francisco, the Bay, and worldwide.  

Our community has been incredibly supportive, helping us to fundraise and awarding us numerous accolades, including being named by city ordinance “The Official Band of the City and County of San Francisco”.  Only with the generous support donors such as you can the Band, 40 years later and counting, continue to play with pride and build Jon’s envisioned world where music could put a known face on coming out, where music builds bridges, and where it wouldn’t matter whether you were queer or not.  In the words of our inimitable founder Jon Sims, “Our Message is Music.” With your generous support, we can amplify that message for generations to come.