SAN FRANCISCO — Hardly Strictly Bluegrass returns to Golden Gate Park Oct. 2–4, bringing dozens of artists to six stages for three days of free music across Hellman Hollow, Lindley Meadow and Marx Meadow.
No ticket is required. Entrances open at 11 a.m. Friday and 9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, with performances ending at 7 p.m. each day.
The artist lineup is already public. What festivalgoers still do not have is the information that determines how they will actually plan the weekend: which artist plays which stage, and when.
When does the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2026 schedule come out?
The festival's own pages currently give two slightly different answers.
The HSB homepage says people can sign up for an alert when the full schedule is ready on Sept. 22. Its detailed 2026 FAQ, under “Printable Schedules,” says the schedule is coming Sept. 23.
SF News Today is therefore treating Sept. 22–23 as the expected release window rather than silently choosing one of the two official dates. This page will be updated when the stage-by-stage schedule and set times are published.
Who is playing Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in 2026?
The announced lineup includes Robert Plant with Saving Grace and Suzi Dian, Emmylou Harris, My Morning Jacket, Mavis Staples, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Punch Brothers, Los Lobos, Steve Earle & the Hardly Strictly Dukes, Molly Tuttle, Old Crow Medicine Show, Lukas Nelson, Sierra Hull and many more.
Because HSB runs multiple stages simultaneously, the lineup alone is not enough to plan a day. The set-time release is when questions such as whether two favorite artists overlap — and how far apart their stages are — become answerable.
SF News Today will add those details here instead of publishing a second schedule URL later.
Where are the festival entrances?
Hardly Strictly lists four main entry points:
- JFK Drive and Transverse Drive
- Fulton Street and 30th Avenue
- JFK Drive and 36th Avenue
- South Polo Field — Middle Drive and Metson Road
Entrances open later Friday than on the weekend: 11 a.m. Friday compared with 9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Performances end at 7 p.m. each day.
Visitors should expect security screening on entry. HSB says attendees will pass through body scanners and bags may be searched.
What is the easiest way to get to Hardly Strictly Bluegrass?
Transit is the safer plan than trying to park close to the festival.
The organizer describes parking in the Richmond and Sunset neighborhoods surrounding Golden Gate Park as extremely limited and encourages public transportation, walking, biking or rideshare instead.
On the north side of Golden Gate Park, HSB identifies the 5 Fulton, 5R, 31 Balboa, 38 Geary and 38R as useful Muni routes. From the south side, the N Judah and 7 Haight/Noriega serve the park, while the 29 Sunset crosses Golden Gate Park on Crossover Drive.
The organizer says additional Muni service is expected on festival days, with regular fares applying. SF News Today will add any event-specific SFMTA stop changes, detours or extra-service details once they are published.
Can you drive and park near HSB?
You can, but the official advice is essentially not to rely on it.
HSB says neighborhood parking is extremely limited. It expects some independently operated paid school parking lots to return on a first-come, first-served basis, but the organizer says it cannot guarantee their availability.
That makes HSB different from an arena event with a defined parking inventory. Arriving shortly before a favorite artist's set and then searching the Richmond or Sunset for curb parking is a risky plan.
What can you bring into Hardly Strictly Bluegrass?
HSB allows one bag and one personal item per person. Large clear bags can be up to 22 by 15 by 10 inches; small purses and fanny packs can be up to 6 by 8 by 3 inches. Refillable water bottles, small soft coolers and small blankets or ground coverings are also permitted within the organizer's size rules.
Hard coolers, glass, hard liquor, umbrellas, tents, high-back chairs, personal instruments, drones and several other items are prohibited. Low chairs may be brought but are subject to additional screening.
The organizer allows beer and wine in non-glass containers under park rules but says hard liquor and glass are not permitted. Food and non-alcoholic beverages will also be sold inside the festival.
Is there a Hardly Strictly Bluegrass livestream?
Yes. HSB says it plans to stream the Banjo, Swan, Towers of Gold, Rooster, Arrow and Horseshoe Hill stages through HSBTV.
That makes the schedule useful even for people who do not plan to go to Golden Gate Park: once set times are announced, viewers can use the same timetable to decide which performances to stream.
What should you check again before festival weekend?
The stage-by-stage schedule is the biggest missing piece today. SFMTA may also publish event-specific service or stop information closer to Oct. 2, and the organizer can still update entry rules, parking notes or security guidance.
SF News Today will keep this same page current rather than creating separate URLs for the schedule, transit and visitor rules.
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