San Francisco and Oakland welcomed a sea of purple on Saturday as the Bay Area celebrated the Valkyries’ WNBA Finals victory. The parade, which began on the Embarcadero near the Ferry Building and continued through downtown San Francisco, was followed by a ceremony in Oakland.
Community turnout and local officials
Hundreds of fans lined the streets holding signs such as “Thizz is the Bay Area” and “Trans people belong in sports.” A few families displayed “We skipped school for this” posters, despite a recent school‑district notice stating that attending the parade does not count as an excused absence.
Mayor Daniel Lurie of San Francisco was on hand, as were former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and state Senator Scott Wiener, who recently succeeded Pelosi’s seat. Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee joined singer‑songwriter Kehlani, an Oakland native, both sporting purple wigs.
Players connect with fans
Valkyries players made the most of the celebration. Point guard Veronica Burton and guard Kaitlyn Chen stopped to high‑five fans, and Burton signed a fan’s jacket with the initials “VB.” Fans described the day as “the best Halloween of my life” and praised the chance to see their heroes up close.
Seven‑year‑old Nayeli waited at a barricade to see favorite player Tiffany Hayes, while her mother, Stephanie, said it was special to share a moment of “making women’s history.”
Memorable moments
Before Game 7, guard Kaitlyn Chen appeared in a hot‑dog costume, prompting fans to joke that she “had that dog in her.” The theme carried through the parade, with several fans sporting hot‑dog‑themed stickers and costumes.
Nancy Pelosi arrived in a lavender pantsuit, waving a towel that read “This is Balhalla.” She shared a trolley with Senator Wiener, who recently won the race to fill her former seat.
Purple everywhere
The color purple dominated the route: fans wore purple piercings, lipstick, lei, shirts, jackets, and shoes. One fan, known as Face, said the vibrant display meant a lot to finally have a women’s basketball team representing the Bay.
Two attendees, Bee and Faustina, were moved to tears upon seeing Kehlani at the start of the parade, expressing that they expect many more emotional moments in the future.
Local impact
The parade highlighted the growing enthusiasm for women’s sports in the Bay Area and underscored the community’s support for the Valkyries, a team that has existed only two seasons but already captured the hearts of many Bay residents.
Original reporting: Mission Local — read the source article.
