The How Weird Street Faire is an outdoor street fair held every May in San Francisco. Held on several blocks of Howard Street and the surrounding area, in the SoMa 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 and sustainability. 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, Joe Firmage, Craig Newmark (founder of Craigslist), and San Francisco City Supervisors Mark Leno and Chris Daly.
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 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. The album was released by Ceiba Records.[1] The mission of the album and the music was to inspire peace.[2]
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.