Sam Smith Praises San Francisco's Queer Community in Video with Mayor

The British singer spoke with San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie about the city's LGBTQ+ community ahead of their final concerts at the Castro Theatre.

Published on Mar. 11, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Sam Smith sat down with San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie to reflect on their 20-night residency at the Castro Theatre, which will wrap up this weekend. In the video, Smith expressed their deep love for the city and its vibrant queer community, saying they've 'never felt a community like this as a queer person' and feel 'at home immediately' in San Francisco.

Why it matters

Sam Smith's praise for San Francisco's LGBTQ+ community highlights the city's longstanding reputation as a hub of queer culture and acceptance. Their residency at the historic Castro Theatre, a landmark of the gay rights movement, further cements the city's status as a welcoming destination for LGBTQ+ artists and visitors.

The details

During the video, Smith told Lurie that they first visited San Francisco when they were 20 years old and have been enamored with the city's inclusive spirit ever since. Over the past five weeks of their residency, Smith said they've 'learned more and more' about the community and 'met more people like me and I feel like part of the family here.' The two also discussed Smith's culinary adventures around the Bay Area, with the singer documenting their visits to local favorites like Hook Fish Co. and Sol Food on an Instagram food blog.

  • Sam Smith's 20-night residency at the Castro Theatre began on February 10, 2026.
  • The residency is set to wrap up on March 14, 2026.

The players

Sam Smith

A Grammy-winning British singer who is currently performing a 20-night residency at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco.

Daniel Lurie

The mayor of San Francisco, who sat down with Sam Smith to discuss the city's LGBTQ+ community.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I am in a deep love affair with San Francisco. I feel so connected here to the incredible queer community.”

— Sam Smith (Instagram)

“I don't even know how to begin this except to say 'thank you.' You represent the values that we love about our city, where we welcome everybody. You can come here, you can be who you want to be, you can love who you want to love.”

— Daniel Lurie, Mayor of San Francisco (Instagram)

What’s next

Sam Smith's 20-night residency at the Castro Theatre is set to conclude on March 14, 2026.

The takeaway

Sam Smith's glowing praise for San Francisco's vibrant LGBTQ+ community underscores the city's longstanding reputation as a hub of queer culture and acceptance, further cementing its status as a welcoming destination for LGBTQ+ artists and visitors.