With handmade posters and unbridled angst, one San Francisco woman brought a crowd of strangers together to holler at the Pacific — and hopefully feel better afterward.
Francesca Fenzi and Rhae Royal
More than 100 people showed up to Vista Del Mar in San Francisco to scream at the sea on Sept. 12, 2026. (Anna Vignet/KQED)
On a sunny Saturday afternoon, a crowd of roughly 100 people gathered along the cliffs of San Francisco’s Sutro Heights, answering Danielle Egan’s invitation to square off against the waves — and scream.
“I think screaming is just more fun with friends,” said Egan, who christened the gathering “Guttural Scream at the Sea” and hung posters inviting strangers to participate.
As self-appointed “scream conductor,” Egan led the crowd in a collective wail — then presided over a screaming competition with points for volume, length and style. The loudest reached an ear-straining 121.9 decibels.
“There’s lots of things to scream about these days,” Egan said.
She said that she hopes this will be the first of many Guttural Screams to come.
This story was reported as part of our series “A Little Bit of Good.” If you’ve got an idea for a story about people coming together to connect in your neighborhood, send an email to [email protected].