Grant Avenue in San Francisco’s Chinatown was packed Wednesday evening, as an evening market, avenue performers, mainstage acts, and a VIP banquet celebrated the inauguration of Daniel Lurie as town’s forty sixth mayor.
It began with lots of people milling in regards to the neighborhood, taking photographs of lion dancers and dragon puppets and sampling dim sum gadgets from varied vendor tents. “Chinatown Soul Band” Jest Jammin’ performed the primary set on the mainstage, led by Rev. Norman Fong of Chinatown’s Presbyterian Church, singing covers of Earth, Wind & Fireplace’s “September” and “Let’s Groove.”
Photograph: Jay Barmann/SFistPhotograph: Jay Barmann/SFistPhotograph: Jay Barmann/SFist
The women of the Grant Avenue Follies, lion dancers, and firecrackers helped to fete Lurie exterior the historic Far East Cafe, the place a banquet for 800 friends was being held.
The Grant Avenue Follies. Photograph: Andrew Noyes
When buttonholed on the banquet by KTVU’s Amber Lee, Lurie mentioned he was “humbled” by the large day and everybody who turned out.
Later within the night, Lurie jumped on stage with DJ Ruckus to indicate he may jam — type of — and crowd bought fairly thick as soon as Grammy-nominated EDM producer Zhu took the stage at 7:45.
Lurie and DJ Ruckus. Photograph by way of DJ RuckusLurie with DJ Ruckus. Photograph: Andrew NoyesThe gang for Zhu. Photograph: Andrew Noyes