Bay Area Celebrates Biden-Harris Win This Weekend

Horns are honking, champagne corks are popping, and people are taking to the streets across the Bay Area to celebrate President-elect Joseph R. Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris' election win.

Harris in particular has inspired celebration on social media across the Bay Area, as she was born in Oakland, raised in Berkeley, and served as San Francisco District Attorney. For more on Harris, check out KQED's story here.

We've collected photos and social media from spontaneous, smaller block parties and organized rallies popping up from Santa Cruz to San Francisco, and beyond. And remember: Organizers are still stressing the importance of wearing masks and staying socially distant.

Expect more updates throughout Sunday, and email, Facebook, or Tweet us to let us know if there are any we've missed.

San Francisco

Hundreds of people have crowded into San Francisco's Castro neighborhood, where former supervisor Harvey Milk once inspired thousands, bullhorn in hand. KQED's Beth LaBerge is on the scene, and reports music, dancers and revelers in costume and some nudists (the neighborhood is known for its nudists — who also showed support). The scene stretches from Jane Warner Plaza at Market and Castro Streets, and down Castro street.

The intersection at Castro and 18th in San Francisco is taken over with people celebrating. #BidenHarris2020 @KQEDnews pic.twitter.com/2jePDVR6R8

— Beth LaBerge (@bethlaberge) November 7, 2020

At San Francisco's waterfront, the historic site where labor leader Harry Bridges led the city's historic general strike in 1934, hundreds have gathered carrying protest signs to "Count Every Vote" at a march organized by local labor unions. Healthcare workers, teachers, service industry professionals and advocacy groups like the Democratic Socialists of America are out in force, with what KQED reporter Julie Chang describes as a scene of celebration. People are singing and dancing as others make speeches. There's a planned march down Market Street to Union Square, where more speeches are scheduled later Saturday.

Oakland

From Grand Avenue to Lake Merritt, people are out dancing in the streets in The Town, which is also the birthplace of VP-elect Kamala Harris.  At Lake Merritt, revelers flew American flags and people danced in costumes, including one toddler in a USPS mailbox outfit who caught much attention on social media after a Tweet by Oaklandside's Sarah Belle Lin — the mailbox dance garnered 150,000 video views as of 1:30 p.m.

Berkeley

Spontaneous dancing and celebrations are popping up at intersections throughout the childhood hometown of VP-elect Harris. KTVU reporter Evan Sernoffsky spotted dozens partying at Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Berryman Street. Children are also outside Harris' childhood home celebrating her win, with some scrawling "VP HARRIS Berkeley Love, WE DID IT! FOR THE PEOPLE" in chalk on the sidewalk.

Santa Cruz

Multiple social media posts have captured an impromptu party at Santa Cruz's Pacific Avenue, a main drag in town, where people are dancing in the streets twirling U.S. and Pride flags. The town of roughly 64,000 people had an 82.43% voter turnout, and voted overwhelmingly for President-elect Joe Biden, commanding 79% of the city's vote, according to the county of Santa Cruz Elections Department.