Photo of the Drill Court @ SFArmory.com.
Like me, many people grew up in San Francisco seeing The Armory only from the outside, always wondering what it looks like in there. I got lucky and Kink.com has let me in the doors a few times — but today if you want to see the Drill Court (pictured), you should go to the Mission Bazaar. Kink is doing some seriously awesome community outreach, and this is a shining example: from 10am to 8pm today and tomorrow, they’re hosting the Mission Bazaar, and for a mere $5 you can hang out in the mind-blowing Drill Court (the image does not do it justice, believe me) and see what has to be at least 100 local artists and exhibitors selling great stuff (from chocolate to hacker crafts) and oodles of performances (from Flamenco to burlesque). All in the cool shade of the huge, domed roof. If you’re in town, do not miss a chance to see all this local goodness, and marvel at the interior of this incredible space — it’s also an all-ages event. It is the first public event in The Armory in over 30 years! Go!
Thanks for writing about this :) I hadn’t heard about it, think I’ll try and bart over with my son tomorrow.
Volet: I found the link. I need to change some facts. Could you please trash my original post and replace it with this? O
P.S. This may read like a shameless plug but I assure you I am but a mere fan of this event.
Up here in Ottawa, once a year all kinds of off-limits places have an open house on the same weekend. Places that normally would be open anyway offer enhanced guided tours by senior staff. You get to see the inside of embassies and official residences. Some of the private gardens will blow your mind. Rich folk mansions and heritage churches too. The working end of a television/radio broadcast centre, postal sorting facility, circa 1800’s death row and gallows, high tech factories, not so high tech factories. Even a cold war fallout bunker designed to hold the federal government and survive a nuke. A very few of these places require pre-clearance and/or no photography :(.
Mostly it’s all very informal and friendly. Yes Ms. Blue even newspaper printing plants are on the list. Sadly, no cat houses.
It’s June 7 and 8’th this year:
http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/heritage/doorsopen/index_en.html
Up here in Ottawa, once a year all kinds of off-limits places have an open house on the same weekend. You get to see the inside of dozens of embassies and official residences. Some of the private gardens will blow your mind. Political leaders offices and residences, local celebrity and rich folk workplaces and homes. The working end of a television/radio broadcast centre, hydro station, jail cell, high tech factories, not so high tech factories. Even the control tower and back rooms of Ottawa International Airport (way cool). Since 9/11 a very few of these places require pre-clearance and/or no photography :(. Mostly it’s all very informal and friendly. Yes Ms. Blue even newspaper printing plants are on the list. It has really caught on.
Unfortunately I can’t for the life of me find a link for this so for all I know it could be this weekend this year.