I've been to the Castro on Halloween several times, and even on years that I don't decide to go, it's important to me that I know it's there, happening. Just over there, being cultural, historical, and wonderful. And I always get to hear interesting and exciting anecdotes from my friends that make it.

Now we're told the party's over because, it would appear, of some gang incident that happened last year that didn't have anything to do with the festivities.

Merchants are being asked to close early. I hope they don't. They make a lot of money on Halloween. Why should they have to suffer too?

here's the article in the chronicle about it.

How can we save it guys? I dunno. Seems like we should go straight to Gavin Newsome about it. This is a good issue to see where he's at on over-reaching blanket bans on public congregation...

It's like telling the German's "hey, no Oktoberfest this year."

Here's the best quote of the article:

"People are still going to go to the Castro," said Ted Strawser, founder of the San Francisco Party Party, a group that opposes the move. "Without services, they're just going to pee in the street, and without entertainment, mischief will occur."

Updated to provide easy links to The San Francisco Party Party's website on this issue and its party platform statement.

Here's the full text of the article:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/06/01/state/n211009D90.DTL

City officials shut down annual Castro Halloween bash

Friday, June 1, 2007

A city firefighter assists a shooting victim, who was amo... A shooting victim clutches his leg in the Castro district... Erika Gruendyke (left) and Lenora Hett get a free, hands-... Gluteus maximus: Many Castro Halloween revelers wore cost...

(06-01) 21:10 PDT San Francisco (AP) --

Halloween revelers in San Francisco will have to find a new place to haunt this year after city officials decided to shut down the Castro district's yearly street party.

The section of Market and Castro Streets usually blocked off for the costumed extravaganza will remain open to traffic. There will be no portable toilets provided and no stages erected for entertainment, officials said.

Merchants are being asked to close early, said Supervisor Bevan Dufty, who represents the Castro, and some have already agreed to do so.

Moving the famous street party — a decades-long tradition in the gay enclave — has been an annual discussion since violence has increasingly defined the event. Last year a gunman shot nine people, and in 2002 four people were stabbed.

San Francisco officials tried to start an alternative party at the Civic Center from 1996-2001. But party-seekers went to the Castro anyway, and police had to patrol both events.

City officials have proposed moving the party to a parking lot at AT&T Park, and luring a top-name entertainer to help private promoters recoup the costs of the event.

"People are still going to go to the Castro," said Ted Strawser, founder of the San Francisco Party Party, a group that opposes the move. "Without services, they're just going to pee in the street, and without entertainment, mischief will occur."