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

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

After teasing fans with musical medleys since August, organizers for San Francisco’s Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival unveiled the complete lineup today.

The list, posted on the festival’s website in paragraph form, is still a bear to digest, but several gems are hidden in the rough. Highlights include Flogging Molly, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Angel Olsen, Steve Earle and the Dukes and Conor Oberst with friends.

The free festival returns to Golden Gate Park Oct. 2-4. The complete lineup, in no particular order:

Joe Pug
Chatham County Line
Robyn Hitchcock & The Sadies Playing ‘Sweetheart Of The Rodeo’ & Other Delights
Nancy and The Lambchops
Megan Slankard
Jamey Johnson
Marco & The Polos
Leftover Salmon Featuring Bill Payne of Little Feat
Neko Case
The Sadies
Dustin Kensrue
Asleep At The Wheel
Circus Quirkus with Poor Man’s Whiskey
The Milk Carton Kids
Monophonics
Punch Brothers
T Bone Burnett
Mandolin Orange
Walter Salas-Humara
Ben Miller Band
Peter Rowan Band
Gillian Welch
Nick Lowe
Sonny and The Sunsets
Alison Brown & The Song Of The Banjo
Michael Franti & Spearhead
Madisen Ward and The Mama Bear
Tim Barry
DeVotchKa
Joe Jackson
Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell
Fairfield Four
Lee Ann Womack
The Go To Hell Man Clan
Poi Dog Pondering
The Stone Foxes
Angel Olsen
The Bros. Landreth
Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands
The White Buffalo
Kevin Devine
JB Nimble
Doobie Decibel System
Kieran Kane & Lucas Kane
Kevin Welch & Fats Kaplin
The Sheepdogs
Flogging Molly
James McMurtry
Indigo Girls
The Flatlanders Featuring Joe Ely
Jimmie Dale Gilmore & Butch Hancock
Pokey LaFarge
Cooder – White – Skaggs
Hot Rize with Red Knuckles & The Trailblazers
Hardly Strictly Disco
Steve Earle & The Dukes
Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys
Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires
Lera Lynn
The New Mastersounds
Buddy Miller’s Cavalcade Of Stars Featuring: Jim Lauderdale, Donnie Fritts & John Paul White
Tony Joe White
Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams
Scott Miller & The Commonwealth’s Ladies Auxiliary
Buddy Miller & Friends

A Special Performance of Big Star’s Third by an All-Star Band including Jody Stephens, Mike Mills, Ken Stringfellow, Chris Stamey, Pat Sansone, Audley Freed, Ralph Carney, Brett Harris & Skylar Gudasz – with a Chamber Orchestra featuring Kronos Quartet – Conducted by Van Dyke Parks – and Special Guests including Steve Earle, Robyn Hitchcock & Chatham County Line

Conor Brings Friends For Friday Featuring: Johnathan Rice, Jessica Pratt, The Felice Brothers, Laura Marling, M. Ward, Conor Oberst

The Mavericks
Dave Alvin & Phil Alvin with The Guilty Ones
Nels Cline & Julian Lage
Anderson East
Fantastic Negrito
Waco Brothers
Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds
Jim White vs. The Packway Handle Band
The Brothers Gibb
Saintseneca
Beth Hart
mini-Mekons Featuring Jon Langford, Sally Timms & Rico Bell
Boz Scaggs
Steep Canyon Rangers
Hot Tuna Electric
Acres Of Space
Dry Branch Fire Squad
Heidi Clare & The Goose Tatums
Spirit Family Reunion
The Oh Hellos
Gregory Alan Isakov
Los Lobos
The Blind Boys Of Alabama
Paul Weller
Robert Earl Keen Performing Songs From ‘Happy Prisoner: The Bluegrass Sessions’ Delbert McClinton
The Dustbowl Revival
Robyn Hitchcock
Chicano Batman
The Brothers Comatose
The Time Jumpers Featuring Kenny Sears
Vince Gill
Paul Franklin
Joe Spivey
Larry Franklin
Andy Reiss
Billy Thomas
Jeff Taylor & Brad Albin
ALO