Stern Grove Festival, the longest-running outdoor music festival in the San Francisco Bay Area, announces that the admission-free weekend concert series will make a triumphant return to Sigmund Stern Grove for its 85th season beginning June 12. 

Following last year’s Festival, which marked one of the first major events in the SF Bay Area post-pandemic, the multi-genre outdoor music festival will once again be home to weekly performances from some of today’s most sought-after acts, in addition to local established and up-and-coming performers throughout the summer season.

San Francisco Symphony

This year’s campaign will also mark a welcomed revival of the Festival’s home at Sigmund Stern Grove, a historic park and concert meadow located at 19th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard in the city’s Sunset District that for decades has offered an unparalleled outdoor setting for music lovers of all ages. Although the Grove experienced extensive damage last fall due to a major water main rupture and while all renovations are not yet complete, the site has now been approved for in-person audiences again this summer. 

Beginning June 12 through August 14, fans of all ages will be treated to musical programming as eclectic and diverse as the city Stern Grove Festival calls home with ten consecutive Sunday afternoon concerts. The 2022 Festival calendar is listed below:

• June 12: Tower of Power, Too $hort
• June 19: Toro Y Moi, Hello Yello
• June 26: Liz Phair, Peaches Christ, Madi Dias, DJ Ladyryan
• July 3: Cold War Kids, Geographer
• July 10: Old Crow Medicine Show, Molly Tuttle
• July 17: Cat Power, Spelling
• July 24: LeAnne Rimes, Amythyst Kiah
• July 31: San Francisco Symphony
• August 7: Taj Mahal, Monophonics
• August 14 - The Big Picnic featuring Phil Lesh & Friends, Midnight North

“We are thrilled to be able to present our 85th season this summer, especially after overcoming another set of challenges with the aftermath of the flood last summer. Bringing live music back to the Grove provides our community the opportunity to gather and enjoy our free concerts, and we are grateful to be able to fulfill our mission to do just that,” said Executive Director Bob Fiedler. 

Fitz and the Tantrums

Although admission to each concert will continue to remain free to the public, the Festival will welcome the return of its popular online ticket reservation system. Twelve days prior to each event, an online portal will be opened through www.sterngrove.org to offer free passes on a first-come, first-served basis. 

In order to reach as many music fans as possible, especially those unable to attend in-person, Stern Grove Festival will also be livestreaming performances throughout the season. Stay tuned for more details surrounding the virtual livestream experience, which will kick off in conjunction with each Sunday concert starting at 2:00 p.m. PT.

Stay tuned as more information surrounding the 2022 season will be announced soon, including the music lineup reveal scheduled for Tuesday, May 3. 

Learn more at www.sterngrove.org, while following along on social media including on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Photos: Paige K Parsons/Stern Grove Festival

Main image: Joan Jett & the Blackhearts