BART expands service for Pride Celebration, A's-Giants series

BART is adding more and longer trains this Sunday, June 29, for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Parade and Celebration in San Francisco. The 38th annual pride celebration is expected to draw large crowds, with California in the spotlight since the state Supreme Court struck down a ban on same-sex marriage in May.

BART will provide additional event trains before and after the parade and will run longer trains to accommodate more passengers. The parade begins at 10:30 a.m. at Market and Beale Streets and ends when the final contingent winds its way to Eighth and Hyde Streets. To plan your trip use the QuickPlanner.

The celebration at Civic Center opens at noon and is scheduled to end at 7 p.m. “Both festivities are literally steps away from BART stations,” BART Board President Gail Murray said. “You can access the parade from any of our downtown San Francisco stations and the celebration is one short block from our Civic Center Station.”

The theme for this year's celebration is "United by Pride, Bound for Equality." Events will be taking place over the weekend of June 28 and June 29 in the Civic Center area, including appearances by performers Cyndi Lauper and Margaret Cho. For a complete calendar of events go to http://www.sfpride.org/. The celebration will feature more than 200 parade contingents, 300 exhibitors and 20 stages and venues.

BART's own BARTmobile -- a self-powered miniature version of a BART car that made its pride parade debut in 2004 -- will be one of the parade contingents.

BART also will provide extra service Saturday and Sunday for baseball fans attending the A's-Giants interleague games at McAfee Coliseum in Oakland, including additional, longer trains.

Ticket tables will be set up to ease demand at ticket machines for both the pride parade and the baseball series. A table will be open at Civic Center Station from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday to assist riders returning from the pride celebration, and a table will be open at Dublin/Pleasanton Station from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday to assist riders headed to both events. BART encourages riders to buy round-trip tickets to avoid lines before the ride home.