Stern Grove Festival unveils new ticketing system, full lineup coming soon
Stern Grove Festival in San Francisco unveils new ticketing system
Stern Grove Festival on Thursday unveiled a new ticketing system for the 2025 free live music event. The annual San Francisco concert series says they've listened to feedback and now have multiple ways to score tickets.
SAN FRANCISCO - Stern Grove Festival on Thursday unveiled a new ticketing system for the 2025 free live music event.
Some changes
What we know:
The annual San Francisco concert series says they've listened to feedback and now have multiple ways to score tickets.
In recent years, people have rushed online to get first-come-first-served tickets. Pre-pandemic, the event allowed concertgoers to simply show up to the park without a structured ticketing system.
With the new system, one way to get tickets is through a lottery. You can enter the lottery six weeks before each show. Organizers say you have two weeks to enter the lottery and that the lottery closes four weeks before the show date. Concertgoers are allowed to enter the lottery for as many shows as they'd like.
Within seven days of the lottery's closing, winners will be picked at random and notified through their email. If you don't win, you will also receive an email notification.
Festival organizers say that aside from the lottery, you can also get tickets in person through various community box office locations. Concertgoers will be able to nab their tickets this way by showing up at the yet-to-be-announced locations one day in advance of the show. These tickets will be limited and available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Another option to enjoy a free show is to volunteer as part of Stern Grove Festival's Street Team. Some of the perks include show admission, free parking and even snacks.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 14: A general view of the atmosphere as Phil Lesh & Friends perform during The Big Picnic celebrating the 85th anniversary of the Stern Grove Festival at Stern Grove on August 14, 2022 in San Francisco, Cali
Since tickets to the event are a hot commodity and there is limited space in the grove, festival organizers point out several ticket giveaway options through community partners and sponsors.
Social media responds
The new ticketing system may have hit a sour note with many who commented to the announcement on social media. The complaints were rampant that the ticketing system of the past was too difficult and not effective. Many people said they'd like to revert to the old days, but festival organizers said that's not realistic in this day and age.
Commenters didn't hold back, saying this wasn't an improvement and not much different than what had been in place before. Some accused organizers of not actually listening to patrons.
Organizers said there are challenges to putting on a large-scale free music event.
"In order to obtain the permits and insurance necessary to bring you free, live music at Stern Grove, we are required to implement crowd management processes and patron safety scans. These requirements come from multiple entities, including the artists themselves," the festival's website reads, citing safety as a priority.
Musicians are set to take the stage starting in June. So far, Oakland's own The Pointer Sisters have been announced to perform on August 10. The festival series culminates in the Big Picnic Weekend on August 16-17.
The festival's full lineup is expected to be announced next week.
For full details on how you can get tickets, check out Sterngrove.org.
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