Brides of March Brings Joy to San Francisco Streets

The annual wedding dress pub crawl is what SantaCon wishes it could be.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 7:51pm by Ben Kaplan

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Brides of March, a San Francisco tradition started in 1999, took over the city's North Beach neighborhood on a sunny Saturday, with dozens of revelers donning thrift store wedding gowns and parading through the streets. Unlike the often raucous SantaCon, the Brides of March event was marked by joy, warmth, and a genuine sense of community as passersby cheered on the colorful procession.

Why it matters

The Brides of March represents a uniquely San Franciscan tradition that has endured for over two decades, capturing the city's spirit of playful nonconformity and community-driven revelry. In contrast to the reputation of SantaCon as an annoying, alcohol-fueled event, the Brides of March has evolved into a celebration of joy, inclusivity, and the city's vibrant culture.

The details

Organizer Jenneviere Villegas led the gathering of brides, who ranged in age and gender, in front of Saints Peter and Paul Church in Washington Square Park. As the procession made its way up Columbus Avenue, stopping at local bars, strangers on the sidewalk spontaneously cheered and congratulated the revelers, who embraced the role of newlyweds for the day. The event's atmosphere was marked by warmth and a lack of the rowdiness often associated with similar costumed pub crawls.

  • The Brides of March tradition started in 1999.
  • The 2026 event took place on a sunny Saturday in March.

The players

Jenneviere Villegas

The organizer of the 2026 Brides of March event in San Francisco.

Michele Michele

A member of the Cacophony Society who started the Brides of March tradition in 1999 after seeing a rack of used wedding dresses at a thrift store.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Brides of March is what happens when you take the same anarchic DNA of SantaCon, but you let joy be the point.”

— Saul Sugarman, Editor-in-chief and owner of The Bold Italic (The Bold Italic)

The takeaway

The Brides of March showcases San Francisco's enduring spirit of playful nonconformity and community-driven revelry, providing a joyful alternative to the often raucous SantaCon tradition and proving that mission-driven events can thrive in the city.