A longstanding media sponsor of San Francisco Pride, the San Francisco Bay Times has had a presence in the city’s Pride Parade for decades. Bay Times lead photographer Rink has photographed every Pride Parade in the city, even before “Pride” was part of the name. He will be back for 2026’s parade, where the Bay Times contingent theme will be “Love Makes a Family.” Several families associated with the paper will be participating.
The contingent’s featured guest this year will be columnist and Check, Please! Bay Area host Leslie Sbrocco, who is also known for her work on the Today show, the national series 100 Days, Drinks, Dishes & Destinations, her best-selling books, and much more. Joining her will be her daughter Grace, who is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community. With them in the contingent will be other family members and friends. Leslie and Grace will be among those in a convertible driven by Don Berger of Regency Limousine. Berger over the years has driven seemingly every celebrity and VIP in San Francisco, from Tony Bennett to Madonna, and is a local star in his own right.
Also joining the Bay Times contingent will be Patrick and Dr. Hossein Carney. The couple each year lead the installation of the Pink Triangle on Twin Peaks; Patrick is the founder of that iconic project. John Lewis and Stuart Gaffney, Bay Times columnists and world leaders of the marriage equality movement, are also planning to join the contingent, as are the mother and sister of Nguyen Pham, who is the President of the Mensa Foundation and the Director of Sponsorship at San Francisco Pride. Pham will be among the broadcasters covering the parade for ABC7.
Popular digital creators “Megan married Meagan,” presented by Olivia Travel, will also be featured guests in the Bay Times contingent. They are known for their often-humorous videos sharing what life is like for a “masc4masc” lesbian couple. They have amassed a following of over half a million people across their social channels and they will be filming along the Parade route!
Yet another couple, Warren Alderson and Steve Scheitlin, will be among the dedicated volunteers and additional supporters who each year make the Bay Times contingent possible. Others will include Juan Davila, Leticia Lopezz, Karen Bardsley, Sally Ann Nichols (who hopefully will bring her talented stiltwalker nephew!), Carol Steinkamp, Monette Shirley and her daughter Savannah, Jimmy Consos and his daughter Eleni, Jade Martner, Linda Schomaker, Miguel Vasquez, Brent Hensley, and Frank Marx.
Riding with us will be drag legend, tireless fundraiser, and Bay Times columnist Donna Sachet, Sister Dana Van Iquity (who is one of the longest serving members of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence), Beth Schnitzer of Spritz, several other columnists, and the Bay Times publishers.
This year’s photography team, in addition to Rink, will include Bill Wilson, Michael Kirschner, and Jerome Parmer. The DJ will be Olga T of Mango fame and more.
Sponsors—many of which will have representatives participating in the contingent—include 1800 Tequila, V. Sattui Winery, Big Bus Tours, Boichik Bagels, Sparky’s Balloons, Brady’s Pedicab, and Grubstake. Thanks also to columnist and best-selling book author Tom LeNoble, who is helping sponsor the contingent.
Pride calls to mind those who were longstanding volunteers in the contingent who are no longer with us, yet memories of them live on and especially at this time of year. They include charismatic Grace Floyd (some of you might remember her megaphone as she organized the contingent with gusto), Antonio Morales (who often quietly walked at the head of the contingent, always intent on helping others), and elegant Helene Wenzel (the longtime partner of former Bay Times designer Abby Zimberg; Abby remains active in the arts and is closely connected to the Bay Times team).
Bay Times contingent themes in previous years have included celebrating the 45th and 50th Anniversaries of Women’s Music, Flower Power (with the Asian Art Museum), Kiss for the Bay Times (that was proceeded by a photography exhibit of couples and friends kissing at Pride), 100 and Proud (with featured guest Betty Reid Soskin, the oldest known VIP ever to participate in the parade), a jubilant celebration of the legalization of same-sex marriage, the 10th Anniversary of same-sex marriage, and much more.
From our extended family to yours, Happy Pride! We hope to see you on Market Street on June 28. https://sfpride.org/
Celebrating Pride 2026
Published on June 25, 2026
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