Stern Grove Festival

Mark your calendar for this years Stern Grove Festival of admission-free concerts every Sunday at 2:00 p.m. from June 17 through August 19 at Sigmund Stern Grove, located at 19th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard in San Francisco. The 81st Season Line-Up showcases an eclectic roster of popular performers from the Bay Area and beyond.

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This Summer’s 10-week Concert Series

The Big Picnic

Starring Jeffrey Osborne and Peabo Bryson

Sunday, June 17, 2018, 2 p.m.

Stern Grove Festival's 81st Season kicks off in a big way with The Big Picnic, featuring two soulful R&B legends performing a FREE concert. 

Ziggy Marley

If anybody can incite change through song, it’s GRAMMY® and EMMY® Award-winning singer, songwriter, producer, humanitarian, and visionary Ziggy Marley. For as much as he upholds a family tradition that began with his father Bob Marley, he’s blazed his own trail as an acclaimed artist. After eight records with The Melody Makers and three GRAMMY® Awards, Ziggy kicked off his solo career in 2003 with Dragonfly. He garnered the GRAMMY® Award for "Best Reggae Album" in 2006 (Love Is My Religion), 2013 (In Concert), 2014 (Fly Rasta), and 2016 for the self-titled Ziggy Marley—which marked his fourth consecutive debut at #1 on the Billboard Top Reggae Album Chart. Ziggy infuses the spirit of revolution into his seventh full-length solo offering, Rebellion Rises (Tuff Gong Worldwide).

Flavia Coelho

Raised in Rio de Janeiro but residing in Paris, Flavia Coelho is a Brazilian singer delivering a fresh cocktail of samba, bossa nova, Brazilian rap, reggae, and ragga with a playful confidence. Flavia’s latest recording, Sonho Real, glows with hints of forro and ragga, frenzied ska rhythms, and a dub nonchalance. Flavia’s voice and harmonies are at once sensual, joyous, and unforgettable. 

M. Ward and Thao & The Get Down Stay Down

Merge Records recording artist M. Ward has released a string of acclaimed solo albums in addition to five LPs with Zooey Deschanel in their duo outfit She & Him. M. Ward’s latest album, More Rain, is evidence of the lauded singer-songwriter and producer’s ability to shine through the soggy gloom of his perennially damp adopted home of Portland, Oregon. Showcasing collaborators R.E.M.’s Peter Buck, Neko Case, k.d. lang, The Secret Sisters, and Joey Spampinato (NRBQ), More Rain is a collection of upbeat, sonically ambitious yet canonically familiar songs that both propel Ward’s reach and satisfy longtime fans. M. Ward’s graveled croon leads the way for him to roam across America’s musical past with its slow-burning balladry, breathy harmonies, and countrified indie rock sound on More Rain.

Produced by Merrill Garbus of Tune-Yards, Thao & The Get Down Stay Down’s latest album A Man Alive finds Thao exploring darker and more personal territory than in her earlier songwriting. Much of A Man Alive is vibrant and danceable while focusing on the trajectory of her relationship with her father who drifted in and out of her family’s lives. Many of the songs are often punctuated by handclaps, sing-along choruses, and soul-shaking beats. While the album’s narrative comes from a deeply personal origin, the music has a very buoyant quality ready to get listeners on their feet and dancing. A Man Alive giddily jumps from crackling staccato funk and reverb-soaked garage-punk to psych-folk and experimental hip-hop.

Mexican Institute of Sound with Special Guests

The Mexican Institute of Sound is the project name of DJ and producer Camilo Lara. A native of Mexico City, Lara recently worked as a music consultant for the Disney movie, “Coco.” Lara debuted the Mexican Institute of Sound's first album, Méjico Máxico (Magic Mexico), in 2006 and went on to place songs in TV shows like Ugly Betty and Californication, and in FIFA video games.

The Stern Grove Festival performance will also feature special guest artists:

Latin GRAMMY®-nominated accordionist Celso Piña

Vocalist Denise Gutierrez of Latin GRAMMY®-nominated indie-rock group Hello Seahorse

Guitarist Paco Huidobro of the popular Mexican rock group Fobia.

Ginkgoa

Featuring the duo of Nicolle Rochelle and Antoine Chatenet, Ginkgoa was discovered at the renowned French festival “Les Francofolies” where they won the prize for favorite group. From pop to the swing of old New York with a mix of electro French beats, Ginkgoa's energetic shows make audiences dance, sway, and sing. Compared to the likes of Caravan Palace and Parov Stelar, Ginkgoa has quickly risen to the top of the electro-swing genre.

Anoushka Shankar, Land of Gold

Sitar player and composer Anoushka Shankar is a singular figure in the Indian classical and progressive global music scenes. Her dynamic and spiritual musicality has garnered several prestigious accolades, including five GRAMMY® Award nominations, recognition as the youngest—and first female—recipient of a British House of Commons Shield, credit as an Asian Hero by TIME Magazine, a Songlines “Best Artist Award,” and the first Indian artist to perform at the GRAMMY® Awards. Anoushka studied exclusively from the age of nine under her father and guru, the late Ravi Shankar, and made her professional debut as a classical sitarist at 13. Her latest album, Land of Gold, is her personal response to the humanitarian trauma of displaced people fleeing conflict and poverty.

Han Han

A registered nurse by day and hip-hop star by night, Filipina-Canadian Han Hanraps about her immigrant experience on her self-titled debut album, HanHan. Separated from her mother at the age of 7, Han Han reunited with her mom at the age of 21 in Toronto. Immersing herself in the narratives of the Filipino-Canadian diaspora, Han is an empowering figure on the indie music scene. Her performance at Stern Grove Festival will be her U.S. debut and will feature a new work in collaboration with local Barangay Dance Company and DJ/producer Gingee, commissioned by Stern Grove Festival.

The San Francisco Symphony

The San Francisco Symphony (SFS), widely considered to be among the most artistically adventurous and innovative arts institutions in the U.S., celebrates its 23rd season with Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas in the 2017-2018 season. The SFS presents more than 220 concerts annually, and reaches an audience of nearly 600,000 in its home of Davies Symphony Hall, through its multifaceted education and community programs, and on national and international tours.

San Francisco Ballet

San Francisco Ballet, led by Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson, returns to Stern Grove Festival with artists of the Company performing a selection of works from their current repertory. Renowned for its incomparable level of innovation, the San Francisco Ballet is one of the three largest ballet companies, not to mention the longest-running, in the United States. Since its early years under the direction of American dance pioneers and brothers Lew, William, and Harold Christensen, San Francisco Ballet now presents more than 100 performances annually, both locally and internationally.

Femi Kuti and the Positive Force

Femi Kuti and his band The Positive Force are at the heart and soul of modern Afrobeat. Femi’s father, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, created the style—a blend of traditional Nigerian drum patterns, the smooth groove of highlife and American soul, funk and R&B—and took it to the world, inspiring people with insistent dance beats and lyrics bristling with political statements. Femi Kuti’s latest album, One People One World (Knitting Factory Records) sees a return to the music’s African roots with hints of reggae, highlife, soul, R&B and other African, Caribbean, and African American flavors adding to Femi’s signature sound.

Sol Development

Led by MC, spoken word poet, activist, and educator Karega Bailey, Oakland ensemble Sol Development performs a blend of hip-hop, jazz, and soul grooves, crafting a potent soundtrack to the movement for justice and freedom. The ensemble’s music, energy as a team and musical identity illustrates a future of unlimited possibilities and a message of hope.

Ronnie Spector and the Ronettes

With her powerful trademark vocals and gutsy attitude, Ronnie Spector is the embodiment of the heart, soul, and passion of female rock n’ roll in the 1960s. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007, Ronnie Spector and the Ronettes are best known for the international Number One smash, “Be My Baby.” In 2017, “Be My Baby” was named by Billboard Magazine as the "#1 Greatest Girl Group Song of All Time," and Spector was presented with the "Legend Award" by The Woman's International Music Network. In 2017, Ronnie also released “LOVE POWER,” her first single recorded with The Ronettes in decades.

The Humidors

Hailing from the Bay Area, the eight-piece funk unit The Humidors features Andre Cruz’s heartfelt vocals atop greasy soul and vintage R&B rhythms. Having shared the stage with acts such as Dumpstaphunk, The New Mastersounds, The Meters' Leo Nocentelli, Shuggie Otis, and the late, great Bernie Worrell, The Humidors are in their element on stage. Bursts and washes of B3, punchy horns, chugging percussion, thumping bass, and burning guitar leads interweave in an infectious polyrhythmic stew.

The Revolution

The Revolution—Wendy Melvoin, Lisa Coleman, Bobby Z, BrownMark and Dr. Fink—is the band behind the music icon, Prince. Merging funk, rock n' roll, rhythm and blues, pop and psychedelia genres, the band is considered to be one of the most successful music acts of all time. The Revolution rose to international fame in the mid-1980s with Purple Rain, and went on to have multiple Top 10 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and win three GRAMMY® Awards and three American Music Awards. The band officially disbanded in 1986, but The Revolution remained close throughout the years. Following the tragic passing of Prince in 2016, The Revolution reunited to honor his musical genius and pay tribute to Prince by playing the music they helped create with him.

Big Blu Soul Revue

Big Blu Soul Revue bring the soul of San Francisco to every live performance with their ‘60s and ‘70s funk and R&B-inspired sound. Big Blu Soul Revue’s latest album, Tongue & Groovin’, features the single “Twenty-Five Miles,” a fiery remake of the classic Motown hit by Edwin Starr. Formed in 2012 by guitarist/vocalist Jason Movrich (The Mission Players, Jason Movrich & Friends), Big Blu Soul Revue is comprised of many of the Bay Area’s premier musicians.

• June 17, Jeffrey Osborne and Peabo Bryson
• June 24, Reggae, Ziggy Marley and Flavia Coelho
• July 1, M. Ward and Thao & The Get Down Stay Down
• July 8, Mexican Institute of Sound with Special Guests and Ginkgoa
• July 15, Anoushka Shankar and Han Ha
• July 22, San Francisco Symphony, Jayce Ogren Conductor
• July 29, San Francisco Ballet with the Helgi Tomasson, Artistic Director
• August 5, Femi Kuti and the Positive Force and Sol Development
• August 12, Ronnie Spector and the Ronettes and The Humidors
• August 19, The Revolution and Big Blu Soul Revue

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6 Things To Know Before You Go

 

1. Arrive early! Parking can be a challenge. Take public transportation if possible. Free bike valet. Get there early and you should be able to find a good viewing spot. Seating is first come, first served.

2. Pack your picnic and bring a blanket big enough to fit your company. If you bring chairs, make sure they have a low back so you are not blocking the people behind you. You may not end up in an area that is flat so keep that in mind when you drag your chairs back and forth.

3. Dress in layers. Weather change quickly in San Francisco. And leave the pumps at home - Stern Grove is a lovely grassy field and you may need to sit on the hill.

4. Pack a picnic (beer and wine is allowed.) Don't forget sunscreen and water. Food vendors are available but it's cash only. 

5. Sorry, not pets.

6. Donate to keep this amazing event go! Buckets will be sent around at this FREE concert.

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Got Kids! Here are ideas to occupy the kids until the concert starts. 

1. There are plenty of Geocaches in Stern Grove.
2. UrbiaKids Book #4 is a fun treasure hunt that lets you explore the valley where Stern Grove and Pine Lake are nestled.
3. From 11:30 a.m.- 1:00 p.m. before every Sunday concert (excluding The Big Picnic on June 14), kids of all ages are invited to participate in hands-on arts projects exploring "The Art of Nature" at KidStage in the West Meadow. Each week at KidStage, teaching artists will lead a workshop on making art with nature, an instrument exploration station, and a dance workshop. See website for details.
4. Join in informative pre-concert Artist Talks with featured Festival artists at the Grove’s Trocadero Clubhouse at 12pm.

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Stern Grove Educational Programs

KidStage with Dholrhythms

KidStage with James Henry

Chelle and Friends at Kids Day

Chelle and Friends at Kids Day

Kids Camp with Magik Magik Orchestra

Kids Camp with Magik Magik Orchestra

Kids Camp with Magik Magik Orchestra

Stern Grove Festival’s admission-free education and outreach programs provide enriching opportunities for thousands of Bay Area children and adults each year. Participants not only enhance their understanding of different art forms and cultures, but create a personal connection to the arts. Parents can participate too! Stern Grove Festival’s education and outreach programs include:

1. Kids Day is a free series of fun and interactive arts education programs for children ages 4-13. The workshops are held from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Pre-registration is required.
2. Kids Camp is a three-day arts education workshop series for kids in grades 3 to 8. Each Kids Camp will explore Stern Grove through visual art, music, and movement, resulting in the creation of original works by participants.

The Stern Grove Festival Association is a non-profit arts presenting organization committed to providing the people of the Bay Area with admission-free access to diverse, outstanding performing arts. Every year since 1938, the organization presents admission-free, outdoor concerts at Stern Grove Festival. A San Francisco tradition, music and nature lovers gather at The Festival to enjoy music, picnicking, and relaxation in a serene meadow surrounded by giant eucalyptus, redwood, and fir trees.