Tag: Stern Grove

CA Opening Is Music To My Ears

Things are finally starting to open up here in California, and public events are starting to be planned again. It’s been a long stretch without music, festivals, and more. But live music returns soon, including one of the best and free ones in the Bay Area: Stern Grove.

These shows are run by the Stern Grove Festival Association, which is a non-profit dedicated to making live musical experiences accessible to all. They’ve been putting on shows since 1938 in Sigmund Stern Grove, an outdoor amphitheater in Golden Gate Park (19th and Sloat) in San Francisco.

As with any post-COVID events, precautions are still being taken. So, if you do want to go to a Stern Grove show, please consider:

  • advance reservations are required
  • there are designated entrances at doors, which open at 12 p.m.
  • limited capacity and perimeter fencing
  • masks are subject to current SF Dept. of Public Health order
  • and much more

Some artists for this year’s lineup include the SF Symphony, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, and Fitz and the Tantrums. You have to go check it out! Oh, did I mention…Stern Grove shows are absolutely FREE! It’s a really great way to spend a day in the city. I have seen Fitz and the Tantrums at BottleRock and would love to see Joan Jett – I love the 80’s!

Road Trips: Summer Festivals

One of the best parts about summer in Northern California is that it’s pretty much perfect weather all the time. Even the notoriously-chilly San Francisco has a legitimate summer for a couple months at the tail-end. If you’re a fan of music like me, this is a perfect season for festival-hopping!

Last weekend, BottleRock in Napa took place and they had another fantastic lineup. I went on Friday which was a birthday gift from my friend Veronica. It is one of my favorite festivals – more to come on a future blog. Between the music itself and the amazing Napa-esque food and drink scene, you can’t go wrong at BottleRock. There are a few other great festivals in the Bay Area you should definitely check out, too. Here are 5:

Outside Lands (Aug. 10-12 in San Francisco): Another wildly popular festival that attracts top names in the music circuit to its stages in Golden Gate Park. This year, you can see Florence and the Machine, The Weeknd and Janet Jackson atop the list.

Stern Grove (June 17-Aug. 19 in San Francisco): Stern Grove is a free (!!!) annual festival that has hosted names as big as Stevie Wonder in the past. This year, two of the biggest names will be M. Ward and Ziggy Marley, also playing in Golden Gate Park.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass (Oct. 5-7 in San Francisco): I’m pretty sure Hardly Strictly used to be literally strictly bluegrass. But nowadays, the free show in – you guessed it – Golden Gate Park welcomes all genres. This year’s lineup includes Brandi Carlile and The Wood Brothers!

Country Summer (June 15-17 in Santa Rosa): Let’s mix it up a bit. Florida Georgia Line, Little Big Town, Toby Keith and Maren Morris are the highlights of this country festival in Santa Rosa. I’ve never been, but if you like country, this line-up kicks it!

Berkeley World Music Festival (June 1-3 in Berkeley): We can’t have an arts/culture/music blog without including the funkiest Bay Area town around. This is going on RIGHT NOW, but it’s free and you can bring the kids to experience music from all over the world!