Golden Gate Park’s Free “Reggae Sunday” Bandshell Concert

Live music will return for its third season at the Golden Gate Bandshell’s iconic stage with another series of free outdoor concerts in Golden Gate Park.

The series, Illuminate Live, which kicks off March 1, 2023, will bring 100+ free concerts to the GGP Music Concourse in 2023. The lineup of performers returning to the stage is diverse and local as it was in its first two seasons—the 2023 concerts will feature R&B, soul, jazz, funk, big band musicians, string ensembles, indie and psychedelic rock bands, and many diverse singer-songwriters. In addition, the series will include reggae, salsa, and some EDM and electronic music.

In honor of International Women’s Day on March 8, all concerts throughout March will feature women or women-fronted bands. The series begins March 1 with “Market to Bandshell” featuring three female singer-songwriters: Common De Nomi, Frances Ancheta Becker and Nikki Nash. Friday, March 3 features R&B and soul with Nate’ SoulSanger, and Saturday, March 4 from noon to 4 p.m. it’s Women of the World Day – a Musical Journey showcasing female artists Ants, Monica Maria, and Free Press Music. Sunday, March 5 will present up-and-coming reggae artist Estrella and her band alongside house DJs Irie Dole and DJ Guid8nce for Crucial Reggae Sundays’ 2023 kick-off.

The free, all-ages concerts will run through mid-November of 2023, and echo the past two seasons’ schedule with Singer-Songwriter/Folk/Rock Wednesday; Jazz, Soul, R&B and Funk Friday Happy Hours; Cultural and Community performances on Saturdays; and Reggae Sundays, as well as many special events, including a special performance for St. Patrick’s Day on March 17 with celebrated Bay Area artist Shana Morrison and her band Caledonia performing two sets from 4:30 to 7 pm.

Golden Gate Park’s Free Outdoor Concert Series 2023

Catch live music in the park every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday through November.

And, in honor of International Women’s Day on March 8, all concerts throughout March will feature women or women-fronted bands.

See the upcoming schedule | See all concerts | Up to the Minute Listings at Golden Gate Park Bandshell website.

March 2023 (Celebrating International Women’s Month):

• Wed 3/1 (4:00-7:00 pm) 
  Market to Bandshell – All-Female Singer/Songwriter Wednesday
  4:00 pm – Common De Nomi
  5:00 pm – Frances Ancheta Becker
  6:00 pm – Nikki Nash
  (produced in association with Sunset Mercantile)

 

• Fri 3/3 (4:30-7:30 pm)
  Friday Happy Hour
  Soul and R&B with Nate’ Soulsanger
  4:30 to 5:30 and 6:00 to 7:00 pm (2 Sets)
• Sat 3/4 (12:00-4:00 pm)
  Women of the World Day – a Musical Journey
  12:00pm – Ants
  1:00pm – Monica Maria
  2:00pm – Free Press Music
• Sun 3/5 (4:30–7:30 pm)
  Crucial Reggae Sundays with Irie Dole, DJ Guid8nce and special guest 5:30 to 6:30 pm – Estrella (full band)
• Wed 3/8 (4:00-7:00 pm)
  All-Female Singer/Songwriter Wednesday
  4:00 pm – Stephanie Woodford
  5:00 pm – Eva J. Fortune
  6:00 pm – Paula Frazer and David Cuetter
• Fri 3/10 (4:30-7:30pm)
  Friday Happy Hour
  Celebration of Women Empowerment through Music
  Featuring Butta, Yvonne Cobbs, Robin Hodge-Williams, and Mary Williams
• Sun 3/12 (4:30–7:30 pm) 
  Crucial Reggae Sundays with Irie Dole, DJ Guid8nce and special guest 5:30 to 6:30 pm – DJ Sep
• Wed 3/15 (4:00–7:00 pm)
  All-Female Singer/Songwriter Wednesday
  4:00 pm – Elizabeth Boaz
  5:00 pm – Essie Thomas
  6:00 pm – Momma Mia D’Bruzzi
• Fri 3/17 (4:30-7:30 pm)
  St. Patrick’s Day at GGP Bandshell featuring
  Shana Morrison and Caledonia
  4:30 to 5:30 pm and 6:00 to 7:00 pm (2 sets)
• Sat 3/18 (12:00–4:00 pm)
  All-City Choir Concert featuring performances from many SFUSD school groups
• Sun 3/19 (4:30 – 7:30 pm)
  Crucial Reggae Sundays with Irie Dole, DJ Guid8nce and special guest 5:30 to 6:30 pm – DJ Ay Que Linda
• Wed 3/22 (4:00 – 7:00 pm)
  All-Female Singer/Songwriter Wednesday
  4:00 pm – Sara Rodenburg
  5:00 pm – Aireene Espiritu
  6:00 pm – Deborah Crooks
• Fri 3/24 (4:30 – 7:30 pm)
  Friday Happy Hour with Citizen’s Jazz
  4:30 to 5:30 pm and 6:00 to 7:00 pm (2 sets)
• Sun 3/26 (4:30 – 7:30 pm)
  Crucial Reggae Sundays with Irie Dole, DJ Guid8nce and special guest 5:30 to 6:30 pm DJ RunDat
• Wed 3/29 (4:00 – 7:00 pm)
  All-Female Singer/Songwriter Wednesday
  4:00 pm – Ariana Nichole
  5:00 pm – Anna Karney
  6:00 pm – Zoe FitzGerald Carter & Friends
• Fri 3/31 (4:30 – 7:30 pm)
  Friday Happy Hour with The Super Super
  5:30 to 6:30 pm (2 sets)

April 2023:

• Sun 4/2 (4:30 – 7:30 pm)
  Crucial Reggae Sundays with Irie Dole, DJ Guid8nce and special guest 5:30 to 6:30 pm Nice and Fresh Crew (full band)
• Wed 4/5 (4:00-7:00 pm)
  Market to Bandshell – All-Female Singer/Songwriter Wednesday
  4:00 pm – Season of Us
  5:00 pm – Skinny Katz
  6:00 pm – Jon and The Baptists
  (produced in association with Sunset Mercantile)
• Fri 4/7 (4:30-7:30pm)
  Friday Happy Hour with Mission Varrio Project (MVP)
  4:30 to 5:30 pm and 6:00 pm (2 sets)
• Sat 4/8 (12:00 – 4:00 pm)
  Big Leap Collective Presents Do You Remember?
  Psychedelic San Francisco Indie Fest
  12:00 – 12:30 PEÑA
  12:40 – 1:10 Grooblen
  1:20 – 2:00 Mild Universe
  2:10 – 2:55 Analog Dog
  3:05 – 3:45 BOLERO!
• Sun 4/9 (4:30 – 7:30 pm)
  Crucial Reggae Sundays with Irie Dole, DJ Guid8nce and special guest 5:30 to 6:30 pm DJ Henroc
• Wed 4/12 (4:00 – 7:00 pm)
  Singer/Songwriter Wednesday
  4:00 pm – The Beautiful Losers
  5:00 pm – Dore Coller
  6:00 pm – Jim Bruno
• Fri 4/14 (4:30 – 7:30 pm)
  GGP Bandshell Indie Soul Fest
  4:00 pm – 4:45 pm AXL PHOENIX
  5:00 pm – 5:45 pm Mar Tierra
  6:00 pm – 7:00 pm Cardboard People

• Sun 4/16 (4:30 – 7:30 pm)
  Crucial Reggae Sundays with Irie Dole, DJ Guid8nce and special guest 5:30 to 6:30 pm DJ Boomshot
• Wed 4/19 (4:00 – 7:00 pm)
  Wormhole (More info TBA)
• Sun 4/23 (12:00 – 4:20 pm)
  CalacaVerse Presents ONE EARTH Festival
  Deuce Eclipse (Nicaragua)
  SETI X (India)
  DJ El Kool Kyle
  DJ Saurus
  Monk HTS
• Sun 4/23 (4:20 – 7:30 pm)
  Crucial Reggae Sundays with Irie Dole, DJ Guid8nce and special guest 5:30 to 6:30 pm DJ Jah Yzer
• Wed 4/26 (4:00 – 7:00 pm)
  Singer/Songwriter Wednesday
  4:00 pm – Ben Lang
  5:00 pm – Footprints
  6:00 pm – Nondual Trio
• Sun 4/30 (4:30 – 7:30 pm)
  Crucial Reggae Sundays with Irie Dole, DJ Guid8nce
  Special Live performance by Blaak Lung, Mega Banton with Special Guest Warri and Full Band
  5:00 to 6:30 pm

May 2023:

• Wed 5/3 (4:00-7:00 pm)
  Market to Bandshell
  4:00 pm – Ryvo
  5:00 pm – Johnny San Francisco
  6:00 pm – The Under Trio
  (produced in association with Sunset Mercantile)
• Fri 5/5 (4:00-7:00 pm)
  Peña Toribio presents Cinco De’ Mayo Concert
  4:30 pm Cascada De Flores
  6:00 pm CalleSon
  plus special guest TBA
• Sun 5/8 (4:30 – 7:30 pm)
  Crucial Reggae Sundays with Irie Dole, DJ Guid8nce and Special Guest 5:30 to 6:30 pm Bobby Hustle (full band)
• Wed 5/10 (4:00-7:00 pm)
  Singer/Songwriter Wednesday
  4:00 pm – Steven Pitsenbarger
  5:00 pm – Jack Cutter
  6:00 pm – Based on a True Story
• Fri 5/13 (4:30-7:30 pm)
  Friday Happy Hour with Asher Belsky – R&B, Rock, and Jazz
  4:30 to 5:30 pm and 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm (2 sets)
• Sun 5/15 (4:30-7:30 pm)
  Crucial Reggae Sundays with Irie Dole and DJ Guid8nce plus guests 5:30 to 6:30 pm Pardon the Interruption
• Wed 5/17 (4:00 -7:00 pm)
  Singer/Songwriter Wednesday
  4:15 pm – Rebecca Chapa
  5:15 to 6:45 pm – Sammy Patrick Band

• Fri 5/19 (4:30-7:30pm)
  Evan Wardell’s Psychedelic Bandshell Show
  4:00 PM – 5:00 pm Coywolf
  5:00 pm – 6:00 pm The Green Door
  6:00 pm – 7:00 PM (Special Guest TBA)
• Sat 5/20 (12:00-4:00 pm)
  Rockin’ the Bandshell
  12:00 PM – JW Blunt
  1:00 pm – Loser Soup
  2:00 pm – Michael Michael Motorcycle
  3:00 pm – Scary Scare
• Sun 5/22 (4:30 pm-7:30 pm)
  Crucial Reggae with Irie Dole and DJ Guid8nce special guest
  5:30 to 6:30 pm – Fadda Leo – Guerilla Takeover
   
• Wed 5/24 (4:00-7:00 pm)
  Singer/Songwriter Wednesday
  4:00 pm – Karyn Ann
  5:00 pm – Hayley Lynn
  6:00 pm – Todos Santos
   
• Fri 5/26 (4:30-7:30 pm)
  Friday Night Happy Hour Erik Jekabson Band
  4:30 to 5:30 pm and 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm (2 sets)
• Sat 5/27 (10:00 am-2:00 pm)
  GGP Bandshell Kids’ Fest 2023
  10:30 AM- 12:30 PM Charity and the JAMBand
  12:45 -1:30 pm Magic with Mike Della Penna
• Sun 5/28 (4:30 pm-7:30pm)
  Crucial Reggae Sunday with Irie Dole and special guests
  5:30 to 6:30 pm Native Elements
• Wed 5/31 (4:00-7:00 pm)
  Singer/Songwriter Wednesday
  4:00 pm – Donovan Plant
  5:00 pm – Jenny Kerr
  6:00 pm – Riptide Station 

The free concert series was originally launched as part of Golden Gate Park’s 150^th anniversary in 2020, a yearlong celebration put on by the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department and the San Francisco Parks Alliance. While the series kickoff was delayed by the pandemic, the Golden Gate Bandshell was upgraded with a new stage, built-in theatrical lighting and state-of-the-art Meyer sound system. The Golden Gate Bandshell has since hosted nearly 200 free shows.

“Free live music at the Golden Gate Bandshell has made Golden Gate Park even more vibrant and inviting for people in every neighborhood in San Francisco, and across the world,” said San Francisco Recreation and Park Department General Manager Phil Ginsburg. “Adding to larger annual events like Outside Lands and Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, the bandshell series features hundreds of acts four days a week that you can easily access by car, bus, bike, or foot. This exciting series also ensures that the park’s proud music history lives on!”

The 122-year-old Golden Gate Bandshell is the oldest structure in Golden Gate Park’s Music Concourse, an open-air plaza built for the California Midwinter International Exposition of 1894. Also called the Spreckels Temple of Music, the Bandshell was a gift to San Franciscans from sugar magnate Claus Spreckels.

“To witness live free music at the Bandshell is to experience San Francisco at its finest,” said Illuminate Founder and CEO Ben Davis. “The Music Concourse is an epicenter of generosity, the place where the gift of people’s talent meets the gift of people’s attention, the place we move together as one.”