TICKET INFO

We heard your feedback and we’re now making it more equitable and easier than ever to get tickets to Stern Grove Festival!

This year, we’re introducing a whole new ticketing system! No more mad dash to claim tickets online. We’re giving fans more ways than ever to score tickets and see their favorite acts live!

Here are the different ways to get tickets to our shows:

  • How The Lottery Works: Easy as One, Two, Three! 

    Step 1: Enter the Lottery

    • The ticket lottery for each concert opens 6 weeks before the show date at 10 AM.

    • You’ll have 2 weeks to enter the lottery per show.  

    • The lottery closes 4 weeks before the show date at 10 AM.

      • For example: The first show is Sunday, June 15. The lottery will open Sunday, May 4 @ 10am and will close Sunday, May 18 @ 10am. 

    • You may enter the lottery for as many shows as you would like.

    Step 2: Wait for the Results

    • Within 7 days after the lottery closes , we will randomly select winners.

    • If you win, you’ll receive an email with the subject line: "You won tickets!" Follow the instructions in the email to claim your tickets.

    • If you don’t win, you’ll receive an email letting you know. But don’t worry—there are still ways to get tickets!

    Step 3: Enjoy The Show! 

    • You will receive a ticket via Email to come to the show! We’ll see you there! 

  • In addition to the online ticket lottery, Stern Grove Festival will offer free tickets through in-person Community Box Offices located at select sites throughout San Francisco. This new initiative provides an alternative way to get tickets for fans who didn’t receive tickets through the lottery, or who prefer to access tickets in-person.

    A limited number of tickets will be available at each location the day before each concert, on a first-come, first-served basis. Participating locations and additional details will be announced closer to the season.

  • Come help out the festival and volunteer at a show or on our Street Team. All volunteers gain admission to the show they volunteer for, free parking, snacks and fun! We will have more information about volunteering on our website soon. Please email volunteer@sterngrove.org for more information.

  • Many of our community partners and sponsors will be giving away tickets! Some of these partners include DoTheBay, Amoeba, KALW, KEXP, SF Standard and many more! Many of the giveaways will take place leading up to the show date. Visit our website and follow our socials to stay in the loop about these giveaways. 

  • VIP Tables - You can reserve a VIP Table at your show of choice with a qualifying donation which seats 10 people. All table purchases are direct donations to the festival and help ensure we can continue bringing free music to San Francisco. Visit our website or email development@sterngrove.org for more information. 


    Community Tables – Purchase an individual reserved seat at a shared picnic table for guaranteed access and great views. This new option allows fans to secure a reserved seat without purchasing a full table, supporting the Festival’s mission to keep concerts free and open to all. Email development@sterngrove.org for more information.

Why Do I Need a Ticket, Why Can’t It Be Like the Old Days?

We wish we lived in a world where there were no restrictions to get into a large-scale event!

However, in this day and age, 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.

As a responsible event producers, your safety is a major priority for us.  Having a perimeter and requiring tickets for entry allows us to limit the size of the crowd, as well as to conduct searches on those who enter.

Furthermore, in this new era, the caliber of artists that we are now working with require “closed to the public” soundchecks, which occur the morning of the show.

Unfortunately, our pre-covid operations did not allow for any of these safety precautions and we now have to modify the way we present Stern Grove Festival to you.

Bringing Stern Grove Festival to life is a big effort.  We do this joyfully - and voluntarily - because of our deep belief and passion that live music inspires, heals, unites, and brings joy. We hope that you appreciate these free shows and all of the efforts that we undertake to try to provide you with a safe and enjoyable experience - and more importantly, to bring YOU joy.

Your delight is our intent!