Every year during Pride Month, Twin Pinks is fitted with a massive pink triangle that can be seen for miles. The now iconic installation of the enormous fabric triangle will open for the 29th year in a row this weekend, June 8.
The Pink Triangle is entirely installed by dedicated volunteers who work to ensure its success every year. The impressive installation is almost 200 feet across and covers almost an acre in total area. According to organizers, the result is a symbol that is visible throughout San Francisco and can be seen up to 20 miles away.
This year’s installation process is still looking for volunteers, with 400 people needed on June 8 starting at 7 am. The Commemoration Ceremony will take place on June 8 at 10:30 am, with SF and State elected officials attending, the Grand Marshall of the Pride Parade, and plenty of incredible drag queens. The ceremony will detail the history and importance of the Pink Triangle.
Today, the installation is seen as a symbol of Pride for many in the LGBTQ+ community, but it has a history of oppression. The pink triangle symbol was initially used by Nazis during WWII to label and shame the queer community. Guards were known to single out those labeled with a pink triangle in concentration camps, and many even remained imprisoned after the camps were liberated.
Now, the queer community has embraced the symbol, and it is used as a stark reminder of the intolerance, hate, and inhumanity the LBGTQ+ community has faced. The massive triangle sits atop Twin Peaks, where it can be seen throughout the city, to serve as an educational tool, with organizers stating “Part of appreciating and celebrating any Pride is understanding where we have been, and the Pink Triangle illustrates how bad things can get” in a Facebook post.
The Pink Triangle in SF started as a “renegade craft project” in 1995, assembled at night to avoid police attention. Since then, the city has fully embraced it, and it is a treasured tradition every Pride Month.
The installation will run from June 8 until June 30, and the commemoration ceremony is on June 8 at 10:30 am. The ceremony will take place on top of Twin Peaks, on “Christmas Tree Point Road.”
You can learn more about the Pink Triangle on the website and Facebook page.