World class vogue artists, a 40-member trans choir, breathtaking queer contemporary dance, a drag supergroup, gender-defying classical Chinese Dance, and trans rockers will hit the stage this June 19–21 at San Francisco’s Z Space theater.
The iconic FRESH MEAT FESTIVAL of trans and queer performance will be celebrating its 25th Anniversary with an over-the-top celebration featuring some of the nation’s finest queer and trans performers.
The festival is a Pride Season favorite, attracting visitors from across the country and around the world—and is celebrated for its outstanding, eclectic performances.
Festival Founder and Artistic Director Sean Dorsey says, “This year’s festival is really pulling out all the stops—the crème de la crème of artists, post-show lobby parties; we’re going to shower audiences with the love, joy and medicine we all need so much right now.”
The 2026 Festival will feature the world premieres of new works commissioned especially for the 25th Anniversary Festival through their FRESH WORKS! Program—featuring the artists B. DeVeaux, JanpiStar, Pangaea, and Shawn Lee with Independent Chinese Dancers.
The star-studded lineup of artists will continue with Filipino American drag supergroup Filipinx; the powerful voices of the New Voices Bay Area Transgender, Intersex & Genderqueer Chorus; interdisciplinary movement artist Zuzu Beloved; trans roots music trailblazer Shawna Virago; trans/queer contemporary dance by Sean Dorsey Dance; and emcee Churro Nomi.
The festival’s Managing Director Eric Garcia shares, “The FRESH MEAT FESTIVAL is a space where trans and queer artists get to be expansive, ambitious, experimental, hilarious, political, emotional, and fully themselves. The range of artistry inside the festival is extraordinary.”
Audiences can expect an electric mix of contemporary dance, live music, theater, drag performance, and community-centered storytelling, all rooted in Fresh Meat’s legacy of uplifting trans and queer voices. Audiences are encouraged to dress “fun, funky, or formal” to celebrate the 25th Anniversary milestone.
Each evening will include a pre-show red carpet experience, music, a non-alcoholic bar, photo booth, and more—turning the theater into a space of celebration, connection, and community before the performances begin.
Dorsey says, “This festival is about more than performance; it’s about creating an expansive and celebratory home for our communities. Building sanctuary. Reclaiming our trans and queer bodies, the stage, and the future. FRESH MEAT reminds us that joy, activism, care, and resistance can coexist … in style!”
Garcia adds, “The FRESH MEAT FESTIVAL is one of the country’s most important platforms for transgender and queer performance. For twenty-five years, it has brought artists and audiences together around tender, fierce, and unforgettable live art.”
The festival is produced by Fresh Meat Productions co-led by Artistic Director Sean Dorsey and Managing Director Eric Garcia.
KN95 masks will be provided and required. ASL Interpretation will be provided at all performances. Z Space theater is wheelchair accessible and has all-gender bathrooms.
Garcia says, “I’ve worked with Fresh Meat Productions since 2009, and one of the most powerful things about the festival is watching generations of artists grow alongside it. Fresh Meat has helped shape careers, collaborations, friendships, and futures.”
The festival is a cornerstone of the Bay Area LGBTQ+ arts scene, and has launched careers and developed deeply devoted audiences across the Bay and the nation (and beyond).
Dorsey says, “This is really a ‘pinch me’ moment. When I founded the FRESH MEAT FESTIVAL back in 2002, I never imagined we’d be celebrating 25 years later!”
And what a celebration it will be! Advance tickets are recommended for this special event, but tickets will also be available at the door each performance.
25th Anniversary FRESH MEAT FESTIVAL of Transgender and Queer Performance
June 19–21, 2026
Showtimes
Friday June 19 @ 8 pm (with ASL interpretation)
Saturday June 20 @ 8 pm (with ASL interpretation)
Sunday June 21 @ 3 pm (with ASL interpretation)
Z Space (450 Florida Street, San Francisco, 94110)
For tickets and more information: http://freshmeatproductions.org/
Arts & Entertainment
Published on June 11, 2026
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