Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Unveils First of 2025 Lineup
Hold onto your banjos! Hardly Strictly Bluegrass just dropped the first part of its 2025 lineup. The beloved (and completely free) San Francisco festival returns to Golden Gate Park, October 3-5, 2025, and they’ve got some real headliners to kick off the excitement.
And in true Hardly Strictly fashion, this is just the beginning. To add to the fun, rather than just announcing the lineup, the festival first releases an exclusive teaser medley on their app. It’s a tantalizing taste of what’s to come, and if you think you’ve got the ear, start guessing! The only way to find out is to listen in and keep your ears peeled for more medleys and lineup hints dropping soon.
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass (HSB) is very proud to share the initial lineup for its silver anniversary in San Francisco’s iconic Golden Gate Park from Friday, October 3 to Sunday, October 5. Now in its 25th year, the free music festival will once again present a truly eclectic bill of top performers spanning an array of genres, including Lucinda Williams, Courtney Barnett, Samara Joy, The String Cheese Incident, Reverend Horton Heat, Watchhouse, Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets, Dan Tyminski Band, Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band, and Chuck Prophet and His Cumbia Shoes. The lineup was teased with an exclusive medley streaming now on the official Hardly Strictly Bluegrass app and website. Additional performers will be announced soon.
“For 25 years, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass has been a testament to the power of music to bring people together—free, inclusive, and rooted in the spirit of community,” said Sheri Sternberg, one of the founders and Executive Producer of HSB. “What started as a humble celebration of bluegrass has grown into a beloved San Francisco tradition that honors the past while embracing the future. We’re proud to carry forward the legacy of Warren Hellman and look forward to gathering once again in Golden Gate Park for a weekend of unforgettable music.”
“I’m excited to return to Golden Gate Park for Hardly Strictly Bluegrass,” says Courtney Barnett. “Last time I played there was with Kurt Vile in 2017 and we all had such a great time!”
This year, in addition to the festival, there will be some first-ever special events held to celebrate HSB’s birthday.
In celebration of the 25th Anniversary of HSB, and honoring the memory of Nancy Hellman Bechtle, the San Francisco Symphony and singer, composer, and actor Lyle Lovett join forces Saturday, September 13. Lovett and the San Francisco Symphony will be joined by conductor Edwin Outwater and Lovett’s Acoustic Group. Known for his gift of storytelling, the Texas-based musician fuses elements of country, swing, jazz, folk, gospel and blues in a convention-defying manner that breaks down barriers.
Portions of the concert’s proceeds will benefit the San Francisco Symphony’s Music and Mentors program, which provides assistance to instrumental music programs in San Francisco’s public middle schools and high schools. Tickets for “Celebrating Hardly Strictly Bluegrass: Lyle Lovett and his Acoustic Group with the SF Symphony” went on sale to the public on July 19. For more information, view tickets HERE.
HSB will kick off its landmark 25th anniversary weekend celebration this year with a very special sold-out festival eve benefit concert honoring legendary singer and songwriter Emmylou Harris – the only artist to perform at each and every edition of the much beloved San Francisco free music festival. Set for Thursday, October 2 at San Francisco, CA’s The Masonic, “A Tribute to Emmylou Harris & 25 Years of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass” will see the 14x GRAMMY® Award-winner joined by some of her closest friends and collaborators including Allison Russell, Albert Lee, Margo Price, Patty Griffin, Rodney Crowell, Rosanne Cash, Sam Bush, Shawn Colvin, Steve Earle and other guests. Buddy Miller will serve as the show’s musical director, backed by The Red Hot Dirt Ramblers. The all-star lineup features some of Emmylou Harris’ current and recent bandmates, including Albert Lee, Bryan Owings, Chris Donohue, Eamon McLoughlin, Glen D Hardin, Phil Madeira, Sam Bush & Steve Fishell. All proceeds will benefit the foster-based, 501(c)3 nonprofit dog rescue organization Bonaparte’s Retreat.
The tradition of “Out of the Park” concerts will continue this year, once again benefiting Sweet Relief, Bay Area Musicians’ Fund. Many of the artists listed in the initial lineup will be performing nighttime shows at some of the Bay Area’s favorite venues, including Reverend Horton Heat at Sweetwater, Patty Griffin & Nick Lowe at The Great American Music Hall, Watchhouse at the UC Theatre and many more.
🎶 Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Unveils First of 25th Anniversary Lineup
Artists include:
Lucinda Williams, Courtney Barnett, Samara Joy, The String Cheese Incident, Reverend Horton Heat, Watchhouse, Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets, Dan Tyminski Band, Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band, and Chuck Prophet and His Cumbia Shoes📢 Additional artists to be announced soon
📍 Three-Day Free Festival Returns to Golden Gate Park
Dates: October 3–5, 2025
Location: Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
Occasion: 25th Anniversary Celebration
2025 Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival Initial Lineup
- Lucinda Williams
- Samara Joy
- Courtney Barnett
- Reverend Horton Heat
- Watchhouse
- Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets
- Dan Tyminski Band
- Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band
- The String Cheese Incident
- Chuck Prophet and His Cumbia Shoes
Additional artists to be announced
Artists Playing the Emmylou Harris Tribute Also Performing at HSB:
- Emmylou Harris
- Albert Lee
- Buddy Miller
- Margo Price
- Patty Griffin
- Rodney Crowell
- Rosanne Cash
- Sam Bush
- Shawn Colvin
- Steve Earle
🎉 Pre-Festival Anniversary Celebrations
“Celebrating Hardly Strictly Bluegrass: Lyle Lovett and His Acoustic Group with the SF Symphony”
📅 Date: Saturday, September 13
📍 Venue: Davies Symphony Hall
🎻 Featuring: Lyle Lovett, his Acoustic Group, and the SF Symphony conducted by Edwin Outwater
🎟️ Tickets on sale now
💡 Portions of proceeds benefit the SF Symphony’s Music and Mentors program
“A Tribute to Emmylou Harris & 25 Years of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass”
📅 Date: Thursday, October 2
📍 Venue: The Masonic, San Francisco
🌟 Featuring: Emmylou Harris, Allison Russell, Albert Lee, Margo Price, Patty Griffin, Rodney Crowell, Rosanne Cash, Sam Bush, Shawn Colvin, Steve Earle, and more
🎵 Musical Director: Buddy Miller
🎸 Backed by: The Red Hot Dirt Ramblers
🐶 All proceeds benefit Bonaparte’s Retreat dog rescue
“Out of the Park” Concerts
- Reverend Horton Heat – Sweetwater (Oct 2)
- The String Cheese Incident – The Fillmore (Oct 4)
- Rosanne Cash – Bing Concert Hall at Stanford (Oct 5)
- Chuck Prophet – Hopmonk Novato (Oct 11)
- Rodney Crowell – Rancho Nicasio (Oct 5)
- Josh Ritter – The Chapel (Oct 3)
- Finding Lucinda Live Screening + Performance – Four Star (Oct 3)
- Patty Griffin & Nick Lowe – Great American Music Hall (Oct 3)
- Dan Tyminski – Sweetwater Music Hall (Oct 3)
- Watchhouse – The UC Theatre (Oct 4)
- Los Straitjackets – Ivy Room (Oct 4)
