San Francisco Rec and Parks greenlights more huge Golden Gate Park concerts

May 21-Golden Gate Park might just be the most musical place in San Francisco, and a new proposal soon hitting the desk of the Board of Supervisors aims to keep it that way.

Every weekend the park brims with music, from historic events like the Golden Gate Park Bandshell concert series to newcomers like the ambient music park-hang Earthling and massive free staples like Hardly Strictly Bluegrass. Outside Lands has established itself as the premiere ticketed event at the park, drawing hundreds of thousands of music fans.

Given the large infrastructure footprint of OSL, promoters Another Planet have looked to expand on the event beyond just one weekend, launching additional follow-up concerts that included System of a Down in 2024 and Zach Bryan in 2025. The concerts drew 55,000 people per day, resulting in $2.9 million in permit fees, but also drawing the ire of some residents who saw street parking scooped up by concertgoers.

Now, under a new proposal by promoter Another Planet, the large-scale concerts on the Polo Field after OSL could continue, plus three additional free concerts per year in locations ranging from the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater to Embarcadero Plaza, which most recently hosted a DJ event for Om Records' 30th anniversary. It has been greenlit by the SF Recreation and Park Commission, initially for a three-year term but with the option to extend to 2035.

The agreement includes increased revenue for the parks system to the tune of $130,000 annually for the first three years, plus additional funds should the contract be extended. Other elements of the agreement include free Muni rides for ticketholders, plus investment in neighborhood projects in the adjacent Richmond and Sunset districts, which are heavily affected by the events. The proposal will also reimburse the city for staffing and operational costs.

A date has not yet been set for the Board of Supervisors to take up the issue.

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This story was originally published May 21, 2026 at 7:13 PM.