Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Unveils More 2026 Artists
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass returns 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.
The latest additions include Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas, Jesse Welles, Sierra Hull, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Kam Franklin, Mama’s Broke, and a special Tribute to Joe Ely with The Flatlanders and Friends.
Hardly Strictly is also kicking off festival weekend with a special ticketed benefit concert, “An Evening Honoring Steve Earle,” on Thursday, October 1 at The Masonic. The separate event will feature Steve Earle alongside friends and collaborators including Buddy Miller, Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Jackson Browne, Molly Tuttle and more.
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 Lineup
Newly Announced Artists
- Aaron Lee Tasjan
- Darrell Scott String Band with Rob Ickes
- Dug
- Mama’s Broke
- A Tribute to Joe Ely with The Flatlanders and Friends
- Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas
- Ismay
- Kam Franklin
- Jesse Welles
- Sierra Hull
Previously Announced
- AJ Lee & Blue Summit
- Gillian Welch & David Rawlings
- Hiss Golden Messenger
- Kathleen Edwards
- My Morning Jacket
- Old Crow Medicine Show
- El Khat
- Tyler Ballgame
- William Tyler & Yasmin Williams
- John Craigie with The Coffis Brothers
Additional artists to be announced
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival
October 2-4, 2026
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
FREE
