Idyllic Access: San Francisco’s Stern Grove Festival Turns Spectators into Tastemakers for 75 Years
Stern Grove Festival brings eclectic, renowned performers—from Lucinda Williams to Ladysmith Black Mambazo, from Carlos Santana to the San Francisco Symphony—to an unmatched outdoor venue: a majestic yet intimate natural amphitheater among century-old redwoods and eucalyptus in the heart of San Francisco. One of the longest-running outdoor festivals in the country, Stern Grove Festival has given generations of art lovers access to high-caliber performances, admission free.
Urban and pastoral, cosmopolitan and communal, nature and art all mingle in a mix that has thrived for nearly eight decades. Hawks and butterflies flit over crowds that number in the tens of thousands, sometimes dancing jubilantly together, sometimes sitting in complete silence during a San Francisco Ballet performance.
The Festival’s family-friendly yet adventurous offerings, high-quality and open to all, evoke the special spirit of a city known for embracing diversity, eccentricity, and creativity. “Stern Grove Festival concerts cut across a wide variety of genres. That resonates with people in the Bay Area,” explains Judy Tsang, Stern Grove Festival’s director of programming. “Our audiences trust us to put on a great show.”
“It’s all about accessibility,” notes executive director Steven Haines. “Stern Grove Festival is admission-free and outdoors, so it breaks down barriers and introduces people to music and dance they haven’t experienced before. Because the Festival’s world-class performances are so accessible and varied, we have, in a sense, taught the audience members to become their own tastemakers, exploring a whole range of performing arts.”” This kind of access allows generations of listeners to gain their first exposure to classical, jazz, world music, and more in the Grove’s welcoming atmosphere.
Since its beginnings in the Great Depression, the Festival has been dedicated to supporting professional musicians, a mission that remains just as crucial today. Part of that support means bringing emerging, diverse artists together with an audience eager for quality and open to new sounds. “Our audiences know what they like and are willing to go out on a limb,” Haines says. “It’s a boon for artists, especially if they are young, experimental, or new to the North American market. There just aren’t many places these artists can play before 10,000 enthusiastic people.”
Audiences are drawn to the entire Festival experience, as well as the music and performances. Regulars abound, from all generations and backgrounds, and they know just how to enjoy Stern Grove Festival. “People often come first thing in the morning and stake out their favorite spot. They’ll hang out all day until the show is done, with picnics and their families,” recounts director of marketing Monica Ware, who first experienced the Festival as a young child accompanying grandma and grandpa to the San Francisco Symphony. ”You meet people sitting next to you, and you get to know them. You share food and talk and dance together and experience these incredible performances.”
Visitors can dive into this San Francisco experience and get a chance to unwind, party, and savor the arts the way locals do. “Stern Grove Festival audience members intermingle, and it creates a spontaneous community in that moment,” Ware reflects. “You don’t normally get that shared experience at most venues, when you just show up, watch a concert, and leave. It’s really unusual in that regard.”
Planning a Perfect Stern Grove Festival Day
Most important is to get there early; the park opens at sunrise and occasionally, a few hearty souls are already there with sleeping bags and thermoses of coffee, staking out their favorite spots.
Bring plenty of provisions–your favorite picnic fare, water, sunscreen, board games, books, and blankets. Regulars try to outdo each other with everything from linen napkins, flowers and wine glasses to platters of the Bay Area’s finest culinary treats. And don’t forget a Napa Valley Chardonnay to round out the afternoon. There is also a food vendor on-site, but alcohol is not sold at the Festival.
Wear layers; “unpredictable” is the best way to describe the micro-climate of Stern Grove. It can be cool in the morning and blazing hot by show time.
Take public transportation. There is no parking at Stern Grove, so do yourself and the environment a favor and don’t drive to the Festival!
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