A businessman looks at share prices on an electronic board outside a brokerage in Tokyo
A businessman looks at share prices displayed outside a brokerage in Tokyo December 11, 2009. REUTERS

The Zazzle Bay To Breakers 2011 footrace drew tens of thousands of people living in and around San Francisco and wind, rain and even the new zero-tolerance alcohol policy failed to dampen the colorful spirit of the city.

People came in hordes (this year there were 55,000 registered runners), dressed in various costumes - some sexy, some zany and some, well, in their birthday suits - but they all had one thing to say - San Francisco is the place to be if you're looking for fun.

For the record, the official race - a 7.46-mile run from the city's Embarcadero to the sea - was won on Sunday by Moroccan Ridouane Harroufi (34 mins and 26 seconds). Kenyan Lineth Chepkurui won the women's race in 39 mins and 12 seconds. Incidentally, she won the race last year too.

But Bay To Breakers is not just about a race, it's an event and the photos below explain why:

California Event