Our Union at Balmy Alley

About

Balmy Alley is a one-block-long alley that is home to the most concentrated collection of murals in the city of San Francisco. It is located in the south central portion of the Mission District between 24th Street and Garfield Park. Since 1973, every building on the street has been decorated with a mural. Balmy Alley represents the spirit of the Mission District: Resistant and Cultural.

History

The earliest murals in the alley date to 1972, painted by Maria Galivez and children in a local child care center. Artists Patricia Rodriquez and Graciela Carillo had rented an apartment on Balmy Alley and painted their first mural in the Alley, a jungle-underwater scene, in 1973. Their two-woman team soon expanded and became known as Las Mujeres Muralistas. Fellow member Irene Perez painted her own mural on the alley in 1973, depicting two back-to-back figures painting flutes.

In 1984, Ray Patlan spearheaded the PLACA project to install murals throughout the alley featuring the common theme of a celebration of indigenous Central American cultures and a protest of US intervention in Central America. Topics of the murals included the Nicaraguan Revolution, Oscar Romero, and the Guatemalan Civil War.

Celebration Details

The weekend is a celebration of culture, community and unity. We welcome guests to plan the weekend to explore the wonderful offerings, history and culture of the bay area from Oakland and the East Bay to San Francisco. Guests are responsible for securing their own lodging as we do not have contracts with any local hotels.

Feel free to schedule your own adventures around our celebration, there are no other activities planned around the wedding.

Saturday will be the block party and ceremony in Balmy Alley followed by the reception at Mission Neighborhood Center. Please follow the link below to RSVP to ensure that we provide enough food for all our guests.

OF NOTE: This is PRIDE weekend in San Francisco.  This will mean lots of people will be visiting San Francisco this weekend and there will be multiple road closures. This will make travel in and around San Francisco very challenging due to traffic. We strongly encourage using public transportation to the ceremony. This a very walkable neighborhood and we will be walking as a procession to the reception from the location of the ceremony with transportation arranged to assist individuals who are unable to walk. We look forward to celebrating with you.

Abrazos,

Estell and Edwin

Saturday, June 24th, 2017
Balmy Alley Block Party/Union Celebration
50 Balmy Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
1pm-4pm (Ceremony will begin promptly at 4pm )

Reception to follow at Mission Neighborhood Center

362 Capp St, San Francisco, CA 94110

5:30-9pm

Schedule of Events/Celebration:

1pm : Guests can plan arrive to Balmy Alley for Block Party

1-4pm

- Guests can enjoy snacks/treats from local vendors including Churros (sweet fried pastry sticks), Paletas (ice cream) and Elotes (corn on the cob with option for additional seasoning with parmesean cheese and other toppings).

- Guests will have a number of activities include mural making, wedding favor table, DJ/dancing, children's activities

4pm Wedding Ceremony begins

4:45pm Procession down street to Reception at Mission Neighborhood Center

5:30pm Reception begins (Dinner served/Dancing)

6:30pm Toast/Speakers

7:15pm-9pm Performers/Live Salsa Band

9pm End