Conceived as a gift to the city of San Francisco by late music fan and billionaire financier Warren Hellman, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass has been bringing top-tier musical acts to Golden Gate Park every October since 2001. The admission-free festival draws nearly a million people to the city over its three-day run, and with a lineup this impressive, it’s no wonder. Scheduled performers include Tanya Tucker, Fantastic Negrito, Steve Earle, Calexico, Iron & Wine, Margo Price, Hot Tuna, Emmylou Harris and the golden god himself, Robert Plant.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass
Fri-Sun, Free
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

Golden Gate Park is known for some of the chilliest summer weather in California. It is also home to one of the coolest music festivals on the West Coast, Outside Lands, which returns with an eclectic lineup. Acts include Paul Simon, Childish Gambino, Kacey Musgraves, Bebe Rexha, Ella Mai, Lil Wayne, blink-182 and Flume. There will also be non-musical entertainment: Illusionists Jon Armstrong and Jade entwine their tricks with mixology at the Cocktail Magic stage, comedians Jimmy O. Yang and Dulcé Sloan yuk it up, and kitchen masters will show off their chops on the GastroMagic culinary entertainment stage—where last year, Bill Nye reverse-seared a steak with zany Canadian chef Matty Matheson.

Outside Lands
Fri-Sun, $155+
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

Coachella, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza… Yeah, they’re cool and all. But you could almost buy a decent car for what it takes to get in the gates at these festivals. On the other hand, admission to Hardly Strictly Bluegrass—which gives you more than 80 top-flight acts in Americana, country, rock, bluegrass and blues in San Francisco’s gorgeous Golden Gate Park—is FREE! Thanks to an endowment from the late private-equity investor (and music lover) Warren Hellman, nobody needs a ticket to see some great live music, which this year includes Emmylou Harris, Jeff Tweedy, Graham Nash, Mavis Staples, Nick Lowe and a battalion of other magnificent musicians.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass
Fri-Sun, Free
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

Outside Lands Music Festival, one of the largest music events in Northern California, arrives in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park on August 10-12, with more than 60 bands and a variety of specialty food options.

Our friends at SF Station put together a playlist featuring the 65 acts performing this year, including headliners Metallica, Neil Young and Stevie Wonder and up and coming Bay Area bands like Thee Oh Sees, Wallpaper and Geographer.

In addition to the main festival, many of the bands will perform special night shows at major venues throughout San Francisco—perfect for those who didn’t get a ticket before the festival sold our and those who plan to spend their days at San Jose Jazz Summerfest.

What Outside Lands acts are you excited to see?