San Francisco runs several free outdoor concert series through the summer. Here are the main ones, where they happen, and how the free tickets work where they apply.
Stern Grove Festival
The Stern Grove Festival puts on free Sunday concerts at Sigmund Stern Grove in the Sunset. The 2026 season runs from June 14 to August 16, with a lineup that includes Japanese Breakfast, Public Enemy, and Al Green. Admission is free, but you need a lottery ticket or a Community Box Office ticket to get in. See our Stern Grove Festival guide for how the tickets work.
Yerba Buena Gardens Festival
The Yerba Buena Gardens Festival holds free performances downtown from May into the fall, including a Thursday lunchtime concert series and weekend music sessions. No ticket is needed. The gardens sit between Mission and Howard Streets in SoMa.
Golden Gate Park Band
The Golden Gate Park Band plays free Sunday afternoon concerts at the Spreckels Temple of Music, the bandshell on the Music Concourse, on a schedule that runs spring through October. Seating is on the benches and lawn in front of the bandshell.
Sunday Streets and Street Fairs
The Sunday Streets series closes streets to cars in different neighborhoods through the year and usually includes live music and DJs. Many summer neighborhood street fairs also have free stages. See our guide to things to do in San Francisco in July for dated listings.
Getting There
Stern Grove is at 19th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard, served by Muni Metro and several bus lines near the SF Zoo. Yerba Buena Gardens is downtown near the Powell and Montgomery stations. Golden Gate Park’s bandshell is on the Music Concourse, reachable from the N Judah on Irving Street and bus lines along the park. Parking near these venues is limited on event days, so transit is the easier option.
