It's one of the most storied feats of structural engineering in the world, and on May 27, 2012, the familiarly orange suspension bridge that spans the 6,700-foot-wide strait near the mouth of San Francisco Bay will be feted with a huge two-day 75th anniversary celebration. The event takes place throughout Memorial Day Weekend on the city side of the bridge, with activity all along the waterfront between Fort Point (directly beneath the bridge) to Pier 39. Key venues during the soaring celebration include Fisherman's Wharf, Ghirardelli Square, Fort Mason Center, and the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. It'll be a great time to visit San Francisco, as the air of festivity will extend throughout the city, right into favorite GLBT neighborhoods like the Castro, the Mission, and SoMa.
The weekend is just part of a full year of news and openings related to the Golden Gate Bridge, including a new Bridge Pavilion interpretive center and museum, a major revamp of the Bridge Cafe, and the unveiling of new guided tours of the bridge. For the first time ever, night tours are being offered.
For more on what to see and do while in town, check out our Gay Guide to San Francisco as well as our extensive San Francisco Gay Nightlife Guide.