01 Apr
The Saint Stupid's Day Parade is an annual parade in San Francisco on April 1. If April 1 falls on a weekday, the parade starts at the foot of Market Street and follows a route through the financial district. If April 1 falls on a weekend, the parade starts at the Transamerica Pyramid, proceeds up Columbus Street and ends at Washington Square. The parade begins at noon.
It is an extravagant parade with a difference. It was first organized in 1978 when its founder, the self-proclaimed Bishop Joey, declared that one of the unifying bonds of society is stupidity.
The parade, which begins at the city's Embarcadero Plaza, doesn't run to a strict format although there’s normally a speech from Bishop Joey at the Pacific Stock Exchange. This is followed by an event known as the Pacific Sock Exchange, which involves throwing your socks at other people and then going home in a different pair.
The free lunch is as central to the event as flags, costumes and confetti – which may explain why so many visitors flock to the parade each year!