The Stern Grove Festival Returns with Free Summer Concerts!

April 9, 2026

Stern Grove free concert stage with audience watching

San Francisco's Stern Grove Festival, a Bay Area tradition since the 1930s, returns this sumner with an awesome lineup of free outdoor concerts! While admission continues to be free for all concertgoers, advance reservations are required for all performances in the 2026 season.

The 2026 Stern Grove Festival kicks off on Sunday, June 14 and presents a wide range of musical performances in a variety of genres, from country to classical, featuring beloved Bay Area acts and other incredible artists. This season's lineup is as follows:

June 14: Peter Cat Recording Co. with Marinero and DJ TBD
June 21: Bomba Estéreo with La Misa Negra
June 28: Japanese Breakfast with DJ Evie Stokes
July 5: Major Lazer with Fijiana, DJ Bad Juuju and DJ Patrick King Most
July 12: SF Symphony with Béla Fleck
July 19: Charley Crockett with Nicki Bluhm and KALW DJ Eryka
July 26: Suki Waterhouse with KEXP DJ Cheryl Waters
August 2: Violent Femmes with Tune-Yards and KALW DJ Lady Ryan
August 9: Patti LaBelle with Destani Wolf and KPFA DJ Malachi
August 15: Public Enemy with KPFA DJ Davey D
August 16: Al Green with Goapele, The Glide Ensemble and KALW DJ Wonway Posibul

General admission tickets to Stern Grove concerts are free, but are distributed on a lottery system rather than on a first-come, first-served basis as in previous seasons. The lottery for the first concert opens on Sunday, May 3 and then on a rolling basis week by week for each subsequent event. Seats at premium tables are available for purchase now.

Food is available for purchase on-site from Tante's Concessions and from a rotating selection of food trucks. Four bars located throughout the grove offer beer, wine, and more. You are welcome to bring your own food and beverages, too. The Kid Zone features family-friendly activities like face painting, an instrument petting zoo, games, and more, and is open from 12:30–3 pm.

All concerts will begin at 2 pm at Sigmund Stern Grove, a historic park and concert meadow located at 19th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard in San Francisco's Sunset District that offers an unparalleled outdoor setting for music lovers of all ages. Gates will open at noon.