The Stern Grove Festival has been throwing free concerts in the park every summer since 1938.

If you don’t mind arriving early to spread out your blanket to stake your spot, it’s an excellent way to spend a relaxing Sunday in a beautiful park setting watching free performances from top touring acts and local institutions like the San Francisco Ballet.

Stern Grove Festival 2016
Sunday Concerts at 2 pm
June 19 to August 21, 2016
Stern Grove, 19th Avenue and Sloat Blvd., SF
FREE

Stern Grove Festival’s 79th Season of admission-free concerts kicks off on Sunday, June 19, 2016. Concerts will take place every Sunday at 2 pm from June 19 to August 21.

2016 Concert Schedule

• 2016 Kickoff Concert – June 19 – Janelle Monáe
• June 26 – George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic
  and Bayonics
• July 3 – Hieroglyphics and dance crews Mix’d Ingrdnts and Golden State Breakers
• July 10 – San Francisco Symphony
• July 17 – Joan Osborne’s Soul Revue and John Brothers Piano Company
• July 24 – Latin Grammy winner Julieta Venegas and La Misa Negr
• July 31 – San Francisco Ballet
• August 7 – ’70s soul/R&B stars The O’Jays and MJ’s Brass Bopper
• August 14 – Atomic Bomb! The Music of William Onyeabor” will be performed by Jamie Lidell, Luke Jenner (The Rapture), Money Mark, Sinkane, and more. Plus Afrolicious
• August 21 – The New Pornographers and Astronauts, etc.

The 2016 schedule was announced early, on April 28th instead of May 1st.

Seating
Concerts begin Sunday at 2 pm. Bring a picnic and arrive early as the main Concert Meadow (and hillside) often fills up early and is closed to admittance once capacity is reached.

What if the Concert Meadow is full? There is overflow seating in the West Meadow. Although there is no direct view of the stage from the West Meadow, there are speakers set up for you to still be able to enjoy the concert and have a nice picnic.

Volunteer For Free Reserved Seating: Want to help out the festival and in return get free reserved seating, free parking and free snacks and drinks? Just volunteer to help out to do jobs like usher, bike valet or stage set up. These slots fill up quickly, so reserve your volunteer slot at least one week in advance. Volunteer at Stern Grove.

Getting to Stern Grove:

Public Transportation:
Muni buses: 23 and 28, exit at 19th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard
Muni Metro: K or M, exit at St. Francis Circle

Bike Valet Service
Bikes can be stored with the festival’s new free bike valet at the main entrance to the park at 19th and Sloat Boulevard. The valet service will open at 10 am and close one hour after the concert ends. Bikes are not allowed in the Concert Meadow or Esplanade area of Stern Grove.

Driving / Parking:

• From the North Bay: Golden Gate Bridge to 19th Avenue/Park Presidio exit. Continue on 19th Avenue. Turn right at Sloat Boulevard.
• From the South Bay: 280-North to 19th Avenue exit. At the first stoplight, bear right onto Junipero Serra. Turn left at Sloat Boulevard.
• From the East Bay: Bay Bridge to 101-South to 280-South. Exit at Ocean Avenue and turn right. Bear right onto Junipero Serra. Turn left at Sloat Boulevard.

There is no public parking at Stern Grove and street parking is extremely limited.