Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Unveils First of 2026 Lineup
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass has revealed the first wave of artists for its 2026 return to Golden Gate Park, bringing three days of completely free music October 2-4, 2026.
And in true Hardly Strictly fashion, the lineup reveal comes with a little mystery. Before the official announcement, the festival released its first 2026 Artist Medley, a musical teaser featuring clues hidden throughout the mix. Think you can guess who’s playing?
The beloved San Francisco festival returns for its 26th year with a genre-spanning lineup of bluegrass, Americana, folk, roots, and beyond. This year’s first announcement includes My Morning Jacket, Emmylou Harris, Old Crow Medicine Show, Steve Earle & the Hardly Strictly Dukes, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Molly Tuttle, Hot Tuna (acoustic), Hiss Golden Messenger, and more.
The initial lineup also features AJ Lee and Blue Summit, Buddy Miller, El Khat, Elizabeth Cook, John Craigie with the Coffis Brothers, Kathleen Edwards, Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams, Reckless Kelly, Shawn Camp, Stacey Earle, Tyler Ballgame, and Yasmin Williams and William Tyler.
And this is only the beginning. Additional performers will be announced in the coming months.
Founded in 2001 by the late San Francisco philanthropist Warren Hellman, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass has become one of the city’s biggest annual traditions, bringing hundreds of thousands of music fans to Golden Gate Park each fall for a completely free weekend of music.
🎶 Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2026 Initial Lineup
- AJ Lee and Blue Summit
- Buddy Miller
- El Khat
- Elizabeth Cook
- Emmylou Harris
- Gillian Welch & David Rawlings
- Hiss Golden Messenger
- Hot Tuna (acoustic)
- John Craigie with the Coffis Brothers
- Kathleen Edwards
- Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams
- Molly Tuttle
- My Morning Jacket
- Old Crow Medicine Show
- Reckless Kelly
- Shawn Camp
- Stacey Earle
- Steve Earle & the Hardly Strictly Dukes
- Tyler Ballgame
- Yasmin Williams and William Tyler
Additional artists to be announced
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival
October 2-4, 2026
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
FREE
h/t SF Gate
