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 2017
Sunday Concerts at 2 pm
June 25 – August 27, 2017
Stern Grove, 19th Avenue and Sloat Blvd., SF
FREE

Stern Grove Festival’s 80th Season of admission-free concerts kicks off on Sunday, June 25, 2017. Concerts will take place every Sunday at 2 pm from June 25 to August 27.

2017 Concert Schedule

• June 25 – Kickoff concert with Kool & The Gang
• July 2 –Fantastic Negrito and Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers
• July 9 – San Francisco Symphony
• July 16 – Eric Burdon and The Animals and The Stone Foxes
• July 23 –  Los Ángeles Azules and Ensambles Ballet Folklórico de San Francisco
• July 30 – San Francisco Ballet
• August 6 – Amadou & Mariam and Ibibio Sound Machine
• August 13 – WAR and Malo
• August 20 – Brazilian Girls and Moon Hooch
• August 27 – Mavis Staples and Kev Choice Ensemble

> See the full 2017 lineup announcement

2017 Concert Details

> View 2017 FAQs

Seating

Concerts begin Sunday at 2 pm. Bench seating is limited and generally full by 1:30 pm, and on some days, the benches can reach capacity earlier.

What if the Concert Meadow is full? Festival staff will begin hand-stamping at the entrances at approximately 10 am. If the Concert Meadow closes, only patrons with hand stamps will be allowed into the Concert Meadow. If the Concert Meadow reaches capacity, it will be closed to further admittance.

Picnic Table Lottery: Reserved picnic table seats are available to members of Friends of Stern Grove Festival. If additional space is available, the Festival gives away a limited number of picnic table seats to the public. Households can enter to receive reserved picnic table seats and parking at a concert. Enter the picnic table lottery.

Public Transportation

Getting to Stern Grove

MUNI

• Muni Metro: take lines M Ocean View or the K Ingleside and exit at the St. Francis Circle stop. Walk West one block to the park entrance at 19th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard.
• Muni Bus: lines 23-Monterey and 28-19th Avenue stop right at 19th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard.
  

BART

• BART to Civic Center and transfer to Muni Metro M Ocean View or the K Ingleside
• BART to Glen Park Station and transfer to MUNI bus 23-Monterey
• BART to Daly City and transfer to MUNI bus 28-19th Avenue
  

Bike Valet Service
Bikes can be stored with the Festival’s 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.

Parking
A limited number of handicapped permit parking spaces will be available on a first come, first served basis along Sloat Boulevard, just past the main entrance to Stern Grove at 19th Avenue and Sloat. There is no other designated parking area.

There is no public parking area at Stern Grove on concert Sundays. Parking in the area is extremely limited.

Volunteer

As a benefit of completing your shift, volunteers are given snacks, drinks, onsite parking and reserved seats during the concert. Volunteers are required to work a minimum 4 hour shift. All volunteers are encouraged to enjoy the concert’s headliner, but please note that some jobs require at least one volunteer to be present and volunteers may take turns watching the performance. Sign up to volunteer.

2017 Kids Days

Kids Days are free interactive arts education programs for children ages 4-11 at Sigmund Stern Grove. Participants must be accompanied by an adult guardian. Kids Days are open to the public and admission-free; registration is required in advance.

Kids Days with Ensambles Ballet Folklórico de San Francisco
Explore traditional Mexican dance styles with SF’s premier Folkloric dance company.
June 27, 28, 29 from 11 am – 2 pm

Kids Days with Dholrhythms
Experience high-energy Bhangra dance from Punjab, India.
July 11, 12, 13 from 11 am – 2 pm

Kids Days with Afro-Urban Society
Learn street and club dance styles from the African Diaspora.
August 8, 9, 10 from 11 am – 2 pm