Bay Curious National AIDS Memorial Walking Tour

The KQED podcast Bay Curious is dedicated to answering questions and curiosities about the Bay Area. A listener asked about the history of the National AIDS Memorial Grove in Golden Gate Park…so we made a theatrical walking tour to dive deep into the stories behind the memorial garden.

Journalists take small groups on a guided tour, where they’ll tell you about the formation of the memorial. Along the way, pop-up performances will reflect on the people who are remembered in the space.

Featured artists include:

Choreographer, Andrew Merrell
Dancers Zoe Huey, Catalina O’Connor, Tajh Stallworth, and Jubilee
Composer and cellist, El Beh
Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence

KQED leads in-depth interviews with activists, survivors, and loved ones who are integral to the grove. We spoke with the AIDS Quilt Conservator, an activist living with HIV, a young gay man whose uncle passed away in the 1990s, the CEO of the memorial, a social worker, and longtime grove volunteers who lost their children to the epidemic. Their stories are reflected in the dances and music you’ll see during the tour.

Video by Hewitt Visuals