The How Weird Street Faire is an outdoor street fair

Street fair

A street fair is a fair that celebrates the character of a neighborhood. As its name suggests, it is usually held on the main street of a neighborhood....

 held every May in San Francisco. Held on several blocks of Howard Street and the surrounding area, in the SoMa

South of Market, San Francisco, California

South of Market is a neighborhood in San Francisco, California, United States.-Name and location:Its boundaries are Market Street to the northwest, San Francisco Bay to the northeast, Mission Creek to the southeast, and Division Street, 13th Street and U.S. Route 101 to the southwest...

 neighborhood. The festival bills itself as a "peace event", and is a fundraiser for the World Peace through Technology Organization, held yearly since 2000.

Several charities set up booths with information about topics such as peace

Peace

Peace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the...

 and sustainability

Sustainability

Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...

. The festival has included workshops, fashion shows, and even a "peace game". Some of the speakers who have talked about technology and peace include R. U. Sirius

R. U. Sirius

R. U. Sirius is an American writer, editor, talk show host, musician and cyberculture celebrity. He is best known as co-founder and original Editor-In-Chief of Mondo 2000 magazine from 1989–1993. Sirius was also chairman and candidate in the 2000 U.S. presidential election for The Revolution Party...

, Joe Firmage

Joe Firmage

Joseph Firmage is an American Internet entrepreneur. He founded several business ventures prior to and during the dot-com boom and currently is involved with two closely linked organizations: ManyOne Networks, of which he is CEO, and the Digital Universe Foundation, of which he is a co-founder and...

, Craig Newmark

Craig Newmark

Craig Alexander Newmark is an Internet entrepreneur best known for being the founder of the San Francisco-based international website Craigslist.-Biography:...

 (founder of Craigslist

Craigslist

Craigslist is a centralized network of online communities featuring free online classified advertisements, with sections devoted to jobs, housing, personals, for sale, services, community, gigs, résumés, and discussion forums....

), and San Francisco City Supervisors Mark Leno

Mark Leno

Mark Leno is an American politician, representing California's 3rd Senate district, which includes parts of San Francisco and Sonoma County, as well as the entirety of Marin County. He was elected in 2008 and is the first openly gay man to serve in the Senate...

 and Chris Daly

Chris Daly

Chris Daly is a former member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. He represented District 6, on which he served from 2000 to 2010...

.

There are many performances, vendors, art, and multiple stages of music at the event. The How Weird Street Faire claims to be the longest-running electronic music

Electronic music

Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...

 street festival in North America, showcasing diverse forms of music including Live Electronica, Downtempo, Breaks, Electro, Trance, House, Techno, Dubstep, Drum & Bass, and World Beat.

In 2003, a CD was released titled "How Weird Street Faire CD Vol. 1" featuring ten songs from artists who had played at the event. The album features songs from Irina Mikhailova, Adam Ohana, Shakatura, Quasar, Penta, Ocelot, Biodegradable, Kode IV, Waterjuice, and Bassnectar

Bassnectar

Bassnectar is a freeform electronic music and dubstep artist, DJ, and producer based in Santa Cruz, California. He is known for his live performances and light shows, and actively supports the non-profit group Conscious Alliance....

. The album was released by Ceiba Records. The mission of the album and the music was to inspire peace.

The How Weird Street Faire attracts thousands of people in colorful costumes each year. The 11th annual event was held on May 9, 2010. The 12th annual How Weird Street Faire took place on May 1, 2011.

External links

• How Weird Street Faire (Official website)
• World Peace through Technology Organization