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San Francisco’s Eccentric Easter Twist: Hunky Jesus and Foxy Mary Contest

Travel Tips | Mike Sheridan | March 7, 2024

How do you typically spend Easter Sunday? Maybe it’s a traditional church service followed by an egg hunt? Or perhaps a family meal decked out with chocolate rabbits. Whatever your Easter norm, San Francisco takes the proverbial egg and cracks it wide open. Join us for a whirlwind tour of one of the most bizarre Easter celebrations: The Hunky Jesus and Foxy Mary Contest.

Group of men wearing bunny ears surrounding a 'Hunky Jesus' competitor at the Hunky Jesus and Foxy Mary contest in San Francisco, a lively representation of LGBTQ+ Easter celebrations.

What’s All the Craze About?

Every year, San Francisco plays host to an Easter gathering that’s not so much off the beaten path as it is twerking on a whole other galaxy. This convergence, hosted by The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence is held at Golden Gate Park, and features a freewheeling assortment of locals and visitors, predominantly from the LGBTQ+ community, who come together to celebrate the day in the most flamboyant and extravagant fashion imaginable. Forget your grandpappy’s notions of Easter. Prepare for a cultural extravaganza that would make even the most stoic saints break out in a moonwalk.

Two members of The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence pose with a contestant at the Hunky Jesus and Foxy Mary contest in San Francisco. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a charitable organization, participate in the annual event celebrating diversity and inclusivity.

More than Peeps and Chocolate

This isn’t your average Easter parade. Folks do not line the streets in their Sunday bests to show off the latest in pastel fashion. No, this is a celebration that dives headfirst into the messy, glitter-laden stream of creativity. Here, diversity isn’t just a buzzword. It’s the bedrock of a festival that encourages individuals to peel back the layers of convention and reveal their true, audacious selves. If a holiday is about feeling closer to your community, then this event is the embodiment of that spirit in technicolor and rhinestones.

Two shirtless male contestants participate in the Hunky Jesus and Foxy Mary contest in San Francisco, a celebration of diversity and inclusivity in the LGBTQ+ community.

Raising the Bar with Hunky Jesus

At the heart of this extraordinary affair stands the Hunky Jesus Contest—a spectacle where charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent blend into one big dollop of divine absurdity. Picture participants, both local heroes and international audacious types, strutting their stuff in hopes of being named the most ‘heavenly’ hunk of a Jesus. The creativity knows no bounds, with contestants adopting themes as diverse as Jesus meets Prince (complete with a purple robe to rival royalty) to Poppers Jesus and Jesus, the Cosmic Cowboy. Throw in a little shirtless action, an inclusion of gospel, and you’ve got an Easter party that truly is a resurrection of spectacular wit.

The winning Mary at the Hunky Jesus and Foxy Mary contest in San Francisco stands adorned in her costume, celebrating diversity and inclusivity in the LGBTQ+ community.

Foxy Mary: Beauty and Grace

In the midst of hunky muscles and comedic capers, the Foxy Mary Contest provides a perfect balance. This event honors the divine feminine in all her strength and beauty. Participants exalt the spirit of the Virgin Mary with an endearing mix of grace and humor. The Foxy Mary Contest has become a living art installation where women, gender-nonconforming individuals, and the supportive allies who champion them, publicly flaunt and rally around female empowerment in forms that are as vast and wonderful as womankind itself.

A shirtless male contestant poses with a member of The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence at the Hunky Jesus and Foxy Mary contest in San Francisco, celebrating diversity and inclusivity in the LGBTQ+ community.

FAQs—Easter Egg Cracked

Can Families Attend the Hunky Jesus and Foxy Mary Contest?

Absolutely! Nudity and profanity are prohibited. Some parents may find the content unsuitable for children under 16 years old, so use your discretion.

What Should I Wear at the Hunky Jesus and Foxy Mary Contest?

In terms of fashion, think outrageous and comfortable, sometimes at the same time! Practicality meets extravagance here, so add a dash of glitter to your sensible shoes if you must.

Will I Be Judged for Not Dressing Up at the Hunky Jesus and Foxy Mary Contest?

Not at all. The true spirit of the event is about expressing one’s genuine self. However, if you find a stray sequin on your shoulder, consider it a blessing from the Fashion Fairy.

Are There Local Food Vendors at the Hunky Jesus and Foxy Mary Contest?

You bet your bunny slippers there are! The food at the venue is as eclectic and flavorful as the personalities that fill the park. Think food truck palooza. And hey, if you’re the picnic type, feel free to BYOB—Bring Your Own Basket.

Two participants portray Jesus on the cross at the Hunky Jesus and Foxy Mary contest in San Francisco, a celebration of diversity and inclusivity in the LGBTQ+ community.

The Homestretch—Or Shall We Say, The Holy Stretch?

San Francisco’s Hunky Jesus and Foxy Mary contest is a sparkling example of how venerable traditions can take new, memorable forms. It’s delightful, it’s audacious, and it’s distinctly San Francisco. This Easter, as you paint your eggs and untangle that Easter basket grass, consider joining the city that dares to dream in panache colors. Why not add a little glitter with your gratitude, a little leather to your lilies? After all, this celebration isn’t about following tradition. It’s about creating traditions that everyone, in their own fabulous way, can enjoy and respect.

Flashback Glamour Shots: Hunky Jesus of Yesteryears

A shirtless male contestant participates in the Hunky Jesus and Foxy Mary contest in San Francisco, surrounded by onlookers, celebrating diversity and inclusivity in the LGBTQ+ community.

 

A participant dressed as Jesus on the cross with humorous "brb" and "lol" messages, surrounded by onlookers at the Hunky Jesus and Foxy Mary contest in San Francisco, celebrating diversity and inclusivity in the LGBTQ+ community.

 

A participant showcasing muscular physique at the Hunky Jesus and Foxy Mary contest in San Francisco, celebrating diversity and inclusivity in the LGBTQ+ community.

 

A male participant dressed as Jesus, holding a cross that resembles an electric guitar at the Hunky Jesus and Foxy Mary contest in San Francisco, celebrating diversity and inclusivity in the LGBTQ+ community.

 

Three shirtless male contestants in underwear are observed by nuns from The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence at the Hunky Jesus and Foxy Mary contest in San Francisco, celebrating diversity and inclusivity in the LGBTQ+ community.

 

A Jesus lookalike is held up by two men as nuns from The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence look on at the Hunky Jesus and Foxy Mary contest in San Francisco, celebrating diversity and inclusivity in the LGBTQ+ community.

 

Two members of The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, adorned in full kubuke makeup, observe the Hunky Jesus and Foxy Mary contest in San Francisco, celebrating diversity and inclusivity in the LGBTQ+ community.

 

A group of onlookers dressed as brides observe the Hunky Jesus and Foxy Mary contest in San Francisco, adding to the colorful celebration of diversity and inclusivity in the LGBTQ+ community.

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