Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2020 Kick Off | October 2-4

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass is one of the largest, free-est and beloved music festivals in the country. Be one of over 750,000 attendees over the three-day musical extravaganza in beautiful Golden Gate Park. Save the date as Hardly Strictly Bluegrass makes its return for 2025.

Full lineup and details are typically announced in the summer with a “drip” campaign and lineup hints with a music medley.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2025

Friday- Sunday, October 3-5, 2025
Six Stages, Three Days, 80+ artists
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
FREE

2025 Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival Lineup

Friday, October 3 (1pm – 7pm)

• Banjo Stage
  • Purple Glaze: 1:00 – 1:45pm
  • Rodney Crowell: 2:30 – 3:20pm
  • Margo Price: 4:05 – 5:00pm
  • Amos Lee: 5:50 – 7:00pm
• Rooster Stage
  • Anderson East: 1:15 – 2:00pm
  • Shawn Colvin: 2:45 – 3:35pm
  • The War and Treaty: 4:20 – 5:15pm
  • The Devil Makes Three: 6:00 – 7:00pm
• Swan Stage
  • The Altons: 1:45 – 2:30pm
  • ALO: 3:20 – 4:10pm
  • Nitty Gritty Dirt Band: 5:00 – 5:50pm
• Towers of Gold Stage
  • BALTHVS: 1:00 – 1:45pm
  • Reverend Horton Heat: 2:30 – 3:20pm
  • The Mother Hips: 4:10 – 5:00pm
  • Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats: 5:50 – 7:00pm
• Arrow Stage
  • Sinkane: 1:45 – 2:30pm
  • Margaret Glaspy: 3:20 – 4:05pm
  • Hannah Cohen: 5:00 – 5:50pm
• Horseshoe Hill Stage
  • Paper Wings: 1:00 – 1:40pm
  • Corey Harris: 2:35 – 3:20pm
  • The Singer and the Songwriter: 4:10 – 5:05pm
  • Marc Ribot: Map of a Blue City: 6:05 – 6:55pm

Saturday, October 4 (11am – 7pm)

• Banjo Stage
  • TopHouse: 11:10am – 12:00pm
  • Celebration of Hazel Dickens: With Della Mae, Laurie Lewis & Alice Gerard: 12:45 – 1:35pm
  • Austin de Lone Tribute with Bill Kirchen & Special Guests: 2:20 – 3:15pm
  • Rosanne Cash: 4:00 – 5:00pm
  • Steve Earle & The Hardly Strictly Dukes: 5:45 – 7:00pm
• Rooster Stage
  • The Watson Twins: 11:00 – 11:40am
  • Jontavious Willis: 12:10 – 12:55pm
  • Rosie Flores: 1:05 – 1:55pm
  • Albert Lee: 2:10 – 3:00pm
  • Sam Bush: 3:35 – 4:15pm
  • Buddy Miller: 4:30 – 5:20pm
  • Robert Earl Keen: 6:00 – 7:00pm
• Swan Stage
  • Hovvdy: 11:00 – 11:40am
  • Josh Ritter and the Royal City Band: 12:25 – 1:15pm
  • Dan Tyminski Band: 2:05 – 2:55pm
  • Cimafunk: 3:50 – 4:50pm
  • Courtney Barnett: 5:55 – 7:00pm
• Towers of Gold Stage
  • Cass McCombs Band: 11:40am – 12:25pm
  • Samara Joy: 1:15 – 2:05pm
  • Patty Griffin: 2:55 – 3:50pm
  • Jeff Tweedy: 4:50 – 5:55pm
• Arrow Stage
  • Maria Muldaur: 12:00 – 12:45pm
  • Rose City Band: 1:35 – 2:20pm
  • Olivia Wolf: 3:15 – 4:00pm
  • SCUFF: Queer Line Dancing feat. Eric Long Band: 4:55 – 5:45pm
• Horseshoe Hill Stage
  • Max Gomez: 11:40am – 12:25pm
  • HSB at 25: Stories Behind the Festival: 1:15 – 2:05pm
  • Kaia Kater: 2:55 – 3:45pm
  • Yoseff Tucker and the Bow Ties: 4:50 – 5:45pm

Sunday, October 5 (11am – 7pm)

• Banjo Stage
  • Dry Branch Fire Squad: 11:00 – 11:45am
  • Tim O’Brien: 12:30 – 1:20pm
  • John Prine: Songs & Souvenirs with Jason Wilbur and Dave Jaques: 2:05 – 3:00pm
  • Lucinda Williams: 3:45 – 4:45pm
  • Emmylou Harris: 5:30 – 7:00pm
• Rooster Stage
  • Kelly McFarling: 11:00 – 11:45am
  • William Prince: 12:30 – 1:25pm
  • I’m With Her: 2:10 – 3:05pm
  • Ocie Elliott: 3:50 – 4:50pm
  • Watchhouse: 5:35 – 6:50pm
• Swan Stage
  • The Felice Brothers: 11:00 – 11:40am
  • Moonalice: 12:25 – 1:15pm
  • Nick Lowe and Los Straitjackets: 2:05 – 2:55pm
  • Peter Rowan with Sam Grisman Playing Old & In the Way & More: 3:50 – 4:45pm
  • Alan Sparhawk and Trampled by Turtles: 5:55 – 7:00pm
• Towers of Gold Stage
  • mekons: 11:40am – 12:25pm
  • Chuck Prophet and His Cumbia Shoes: 1:15 – 2:05pm
  • Jimmie Dale Gilmore & The West Texas Exiles: 2:55 – 3:50pm
  • The String Cheese Incident: 4:45 – 5:55pm
• Arrow Stage
  • Madeline Hawthorne: 11:45am – 12:30pm
  • Lola Kirke: 1:20 – 2:05pm
  • Evolfo: 3:00 – 3:45pm
  • Dengue Fever: 4:45 – 5:30pm
• Horseshoe Hill Stage
  • O Warren Where Art Thou: The Hellman Siblings Remember Their Parents in Song: 11:40am – 12:25pm
  • Asher Shasho Levy: 1:15 – 2:05pm
  • Charlie Parr: 2:55 – 3:45pm
  • Dougie Poole: 4:45 – 5:45pm

2025 Lineup Reveal

The Hardly Strictly Bluegrass lineup is revealed in a series of medleys that are released throughout the summer with snippets of 10 artists at a time.

• Medley #1 – July 22, 2025 – Announced first on app – iOS | Android
• Medley #2 – August 5, 2025
• Medley #3  – August 19, 2025
• Medley #4 – September 2, 2025

FOURTH LINEUP ANNOUCEMENT

Madeline Hawthorne
TopHouse
Olivia Wolf
Robert Earl Keen
Amos Lee
The Devil Makes Three
Ocie Elliott
Marc Ribot: Map of a Blue City
Dengue Fever
Corey Harris

THIRD LINEUP ANNOUNCEMENT

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
Margaret Glaspy
Cimafunk
Paper Wings
Kaia Kater
BALTHVS
Evolfo
Peter Rowan with Sam Grisman Project (Playing Old & In the Way & More)
Rosie Flores
Anderson East

SECOND LINEUP ANNOUNCEMENT

Alan Sparhawk with Trampled by Turtles
Kelly McFarling
I’m With Her
William Prince
ALO
Jontavious Willis
Jimmie Dale Gilmore and the West Texas Exiles
The Watson Twins
Sinkane
The Altons

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

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

2025 Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival Information

When: Fri Oct 3, Sat Oct 4, and Sun Oct 5, 2025
Where: Hellman Hollow, Lindley & Marx meadows in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA

What Time Does Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Open?

Entrances will open at 11am on Friday, and 9am Saturday & Sunday. Performances end at 7pm daily.

• Friday – 1-7 pm (gates open at 11 am)
• Saturday – 11 am-7 pm (gates open at 9 am)
• Sunday – 1 am-7 pm (gates open at 9 am)

2025 Full Day-by-Day Schedule | Lineup 2025 | Festival Map 2025 | Food Vendors 2025 | Food Vendor Map 2025

2025 LINEUP + SCHEDULE

The full day-by-day schedule is typically announced in mid/late September.
Just released! View the full 2025 daily schedule

2025 Highlights

Friday, October 3

• Amos Lee: Banjo Stage, 5:50 – 7:00pm
• The Devil Makes Three: Rooster Stage, 6:00 – 7:00pm
• Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats: Towers of Gold Stage, 5:50 – 7:00pm

Saturday, October 4

• Courtney Barnett: Swan Stage, 5:55 – 7:00pm
• Josh Ritter & the Royal City Band: Swan Stage, 12:25 – 1:15pm
• Patty Griffin: Towers of Gold Stage, 2:55 – 3:50pm
• Robert Earl Keen: Rooster Stage, 6:00 – 7:00pm
• Samara Joy: Towers of Gold Stage, 1:15 – 2:05pm

Sunday, October 5

• Alan Sparhawk and Trampled by Turtles: Swan Stage, 5:55 – 7:00pm
• Dengue Fever: Arrow Stage, 4:45 – 5:30pm
• I’m With Her: Rooster Stage, 2:10 – 3:05pm
• Lucinda Williams: Banjo Stage, 3:45 – 4:45pm
• Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets: Swan Stage, 2:05 – 2:55pm
• Peter Rowan with Sam Grisman (Old & In the Way & More): Swan Stage, 3:50 – 4:45pm
• The String Cheese Incident: Towers of Gold Stage, 4:45 – 5:55pm
• Watchhouse: Rooster Stage, 5:35 – 6:50pm

When / Where is Hardly Strictly Bluegrass

When: Fri Oct 3, Sat Oct 4, and Sun Oct 5, 2025
Where: Hellman Hollow, Lindley & Marx meadows in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA
Festival Map 2025

What Time Does Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Open?

• 11 am entry to the meadows on Friday morning
• 9 am entry on Saturday and Sunday.
• Performances end at 7 pm daily

2025 Stages

• Rooster Stage
• Banjo Stage
• Towers of Gold Stage
• Swan Stage
• Horseshoe Hill Stage
• Arrow Stage
• Lindley Meadow (we’re not sure if this is a stage for 2025 or not. It’s on the map, but it’s unclear)

Where are the Entrances for Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2025?

There are four entrances to Hardly Strictly Bluegrass for 2025. All attendees must go through a security checkpoint with body scanners and may include a physical search of bags and belongings. SFPD, K9 and Tactical Units will be positioned inside and outside the venue.

• JFK Drive and Transverse Drive
• Fulton Street and 30th Avenue
• JFK Drive and 36th Avenue
• South Polo Field — Middle Drive& Metson Road

Entrances will open at 11am on Friday, 9am Saturday and Sunday. Performances end at 7pm daily.

HSB encourages the use of public transportation or any alternative to personal vehicles.However, due to public safety within the event, HSB does not allow any bicycles, scooters, regular skateboards, electric skateboards, Segways, Onewheels, or other types of motorized devices inside the venue. Bicycle parking locations can be found in the event map.

How to prepare for Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2025:

The following items are allowed:

• Bags, backpacks or personal items with dimensions no larger than 22″ x 15″ x 10″. (Any item over this limit must first submit to a physical search; prepare for delays at the entrance. HSB reserves the right to reject any bag/backpack/item for any reason.)
• Small bags, fanny packs and purses smaller than 6” x 8” x 3”
• 2.5 liter or smaller hydration bladders or packs, refillable water bottles
• Small soft side cooler – 9” x 8” x 6”
• Collapsible wagons
• Blankets/tarps up to 6 ’x 78 and short backed chairs are allowed, but will be subject to search.

The following are not allowed:

• No items that can be used to disturb the peace, endanger others, and/or cause damage to people or property
• More than 1 bag and 1 personal item
• Bags larger than 22”x15”x10”
• Hard coolers or coolers larger than a 12-pack
• Glass, kegs, hard liquor
• Umbrellas
• Tables
• Shade structures / Tents
• Blankets or tarps larger than 6’x8’
• Devices for amplified sound
• High back chairs
• Selfie sticks
• Firearms or weapons of any kind
• Fireworks, smoking, open flames, grill
• Drones
• Flags or poles
• Unauthorized vending or promotional items

HSB reserves the right to reject any bag/backpack/item for any reason.
FAQ: What’s allowed / Not allowed for 2025

In addition:

In 2025, the free water refill stations will be available near the Rooster Stage, Banjo Stage by the bathrooms, Swan Stage, and the Horseshoe Hill Stage. See map.