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Ultimate Guide to SF’s Grateful Dead Summer Takeover

Celebrate the Dead’s 60th with citywide concerts, art, and a tie-dye takeover of SF streets
By - posted 7/25/2025 No Comment

San Francisco is going full psychedelic to honor the 60th anniversary of the Grateful Dead, the iconic band born right here in 1965. In the lead-up to Dead & Company’s sold-out three-night run in Golden Gate Park (August 1-3), the city is paying tribute with art exhibits, live shows, and citywide displays that nod to the band’s Bay Area roots and lasting cultural legacy.

San Francisco has installed over 400 tie-dye-inspired street banners around the city, adding a burst of color to Market Street, Haight Street, and the Castro. Two Muni buses and one train have been fully wrapped in custom Grateful Dead artwork, bringing a bit of Deadhead energy to the daily commute. Even City Hall will light up in swirling psychedelic colors during the anniversary weekend.

One of the most beloved parts of any Dead tour, Shakedown Street, is making its return as a fully permitted event along JFK Promenade in Golden Gate Park. What began as an informal parking lot market has grown into a colorful bazaar of nearly 100 vendors offering everything from tie-dye and grilled cheese to vintage vinyl and handmade jewelry. This year’s Shakedown Street will stretch from Transverse Drive to Blue Heron Lake Drive from 10:30 am to 6 pm on August 1-3, serving as a festive pre-show hub for fans and locals alike.

From museum exhibitions and academic talks to afterparties, Jerry tributes, and street renamings, the city is leaning into its deep connection to the Dead. It’s a multi-week, citywide celebration that blends local history, art, music, and a whole lot of tie-dye.

Grateful Dead 60th Anniversary Events in San Francisco

Citywide Installations and Ongoing Events

  • 400+ psychedelic street banners across Haight, Castro, and Market streets (ongoing)

  • Two Muni buses and one Muni light rail train wrapped in Grateful Dead artwork (ongoing)

  • San Francisco Public Library Main Branch, Dead-themed exhibit in the atrium and Jerry Garcia Archive pop-up (through August 4)

Main Concert Events

  • Dead & Company at Golden Gate Park, August 1 to 3
    The August 3rd performance will be livestreamed in certain IMAX locations in San Francisco

  • Jerry Day at the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater, McLaren Park, August 2 at 11:30 a.m., free

  • San Francisco Giants Celebrate the Grateful Dead, August 12 at 6:45 p.m. at Oracle Park, tickets start at about $50

  • 46th Annual Haight Street Fair, September 7

  • Jerry Garcia in the Lower Mission, produced by the Magic Theatre, October 29 through November 23

Shakedown Street

  • Located along Golden Gate Park’s JFK Promenade between Transverse Drive and Blue Heron Lake Drive

  • August 1 to 3, 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

  • Nearly 100 vendors offering tie-dye apparel, art, vintage vinyl, jewelry, and more

  • Free to browse, no food or beverage vendors, alcohol prohibited

Art & Exhibits

  • Mickey Hart: Art at the Edge of Magic at Haight Street Art Center, July 24 through September 21; opening celebration July 31 from 4 to 9 p.m., free

  • Max Ernst Bronze Sculptures, mythical figures on view under the redwoods at 555 California Street (ongoing through December)

  • San Francisco Public Library Main Branch, Dead-themed exhibit and Jerry Garcia Archive pop-up through August 4

Talks & Panels

  • Exploring the Grateful Dead at Manny’s

    • July 29 at 6 p.m., Built to Last, a look back at the legacy of the Grateful Dead

    • July 30 at 6 p.m., Live or Dead, six decades of live shows with the Grateful Dead

    • July 30 at 6 p.m., The Music Never Stops, the future of the Dead
      Tickets start around $9

  • Grateful Dead, Haight-Ashbury and the Counterculture, San Francisco Public Library Main Branch, July 30 at 6 p.m.

  • Len Dell’Amico on Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead, San Francisco Public Library Main Branch, July 31 at 6 p.m.

Community & Outdoor Events

  • A Grateful Gathering at Yerba Buena Lane, July 31 from 4 to 9 p.m., free

  • Haight Street Daydream, Haight Street merchants activate the neighborhood on the first weekend of each month from May through October; next confirmed dates: June 21, July 19, August 16

  • San Francisco Public Library Ortega Branch, A Grateful Dead Listening Party, July 27 at 2 p.m.

Aftershows & Parties

  • Grateful Fridays at The Magic Theatre, July 25 from 8 to 10 p.m., Alex Jordan and Friends

  • Haight Street Parties at O’Riley’s Pub

    • July 31 at 10:30 p.m., pre-party with Pete Sawyer & The Left Hand Monkey Wrench Gang

    • August 1 at 10:30 p.m., Jerry Birthday Bash with Playing the Dead

    • August 3 at 10:30 p.m., Joe Marcinek Band

  • PromiseLand After Parties at The Great Northern, August 1 and August 3

  • After Parties at the 4 Star Theater

    • August 1, music by Hartle Gold Band

    • August 2, music by Aardvark

    • August 3, music by Grateful Sunday

  • Heart of Town hosted by Grahame Lesh & Friends at Pier 48, July 31 to August 2

  • Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test After Party presented by Bicycle Day and Public Works, August 1 from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., music by Boombox

  • Melvin Seals and JGB, and Axial Tilt at Great American Music Hall, August 1 to 3

  • Danny’s Live Dead Presents at Balboa Theater, August 1 to 3 at 10:30 p.m.

  • Tom Hamilton at Café Du Nord, August 2

  • Jerry Garcia Day After Party at various locations, August 2, in partnership with Friends of JGA and curated by EOMM, Trixie Rasputin Presents, EAG, and FOJGA

  • Jerry Nite Excelsior District Pub Crawl, August 2 starting at Harrington Street and Mission Street

Additional Events

  • Harmonic Jam at Thrive City, August 8 at 5 p.m., free but limited capacity

  • Dead & Company Livestream in IMAX locations, August 3

Thanks to SF Chronicle, SF.gov, and SF Travel for the scoop.


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