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Symphony in the Park: Stern Grove

Annual free Sunday concert & picnic with the Symphony
By - posted 7/5/2014 No Comment

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 relaxing Sunday in a beautiful park setting to hear free music ranging from Smokey Robinson to Andrew Bird, to the San Francisco Ballet.

Stern Grove Festival 2014
 Sunday Concerts at 2 pm
June 22 – August 24, 2014
Stern Grove, 19th Avenue and Sloat Blvd., SF

2014 Concert Schedule:
June 22 -Smokey Robinson & Patti Austin
June 29 – Allen Stone & Yuna
>> July 6 – San Francisco Symphony (with artist talk)
July 13 – Funky Meters & Sugar Pie DeSanto
July 20 – Pupy Y Los Que Son Son & Vieux Farka Touré (with artist talk)
July 27 – Rufus Wainwright & Quartet San Francisco
August 3 – Andrew Bird And The Hands Of Glory & Todd Sickafoose’s Tiny Resistors
August 10 – Darlene Love & Monophonics (with artist talk)
August 17 – Sergio Mendes & LoCura
August 24 – The Zombies & Vetiver

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 filled up? 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 enjoy a nice picnic.

Picnic Tables: Households can enter to receive free reservations to six picnic table seats in the concert meadow at one concert per season. Entries will be chosen at random and notified the week before the concert.  Entries must be received by the Monday before the concert you want to attend. Households may submit one entry per concert or indicate multiple concert dates on one entry. Enter the Picnic Table Lottery.

  • Are You Mr. Moneybags? Why risk losing the lottery? Instead, donate $150+ to the Friends of Stern Grove Festival and receive two picnic table seats to one concert per season [details]

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 ranging from 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.