FRIDAY FIVE

There are two types of people in San Francisco: those who go to Outside Lands and those who go to the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival. Both events take place in Golden Gate Park, but one costs over $300 (ahem, Outside Lands), and the other is free. Indeed, the price tag is telling of who attends which festival: tech bros go to OSL, while hipsters go to HSB.

For those who are unfamiliar it, the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival is one of the coolest events to take place in Golden Gate Park. The annual festival—always held on the first weekend of October—brings in over 80 acts across six different stages. The festival was founded and subsidized by San Francisco venture capitalist Warren Hellman, who aimed to keep the event free, and the event lives on in his legacy. Fun fact: Originally, Hellman intended to invite only bluegrass musicians, but in 2004, the word “hardly” was added to the event name after artists from other genres showed interest.

This year’s artists include Robert Plant, Emmylou Harris, Judy Collins, Calexico with Iron & Wine, the New Pornographers, and many, many more. If you’re planning on going, there are a few rules to follow to make sure you have a good time.

1. Park at the Rooster Stage early

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass is not a festival where people are always on the go, moving from one stage to the next. Instead, it’s a place where people typically park at one spot and stay there all day (edibles help if you ever get antsy). This is why the infamous Rooster Stage has somewhat of a cult following. To each their own when it comes to deciding which one of the six stages to park at for the day, but if you’re a newbie this year, the Rooster Stage is a great place at which to experience your first HSB. It’s always lively, and this year, musical guests at the Rooster Stage include the Milk Carton Kids and Punch Brothers. In order to get a good spot close to the stage, we recommend that you arrive early — like 10:30/11:00 a.m. early. Brunch is HSB this weekend, folks. Make sure you bring a blanket, and consider a concert totem if friends are meeting you later in the day so they can find you.

2. Know the security rules

Unfortunately, it’s not 2001, when HSB was a more low-key affair, but 2019, when the world is a pretty dark and scary place. Gone are the days when we didn’t have to worry about violence infiltrating our fun. HSB has made security changes to keep all participants safe, and it’s best to know about them ahead of time. First, there is a clear-bag policy. You can’t bring a backpack or a larger bag that’s not clear, and it must measure less than 16” x 16” x 8”; however, attendees can bring multiple smaller clear bags. Plan accordingly. Unlike in previous years, large coolers aren’t allowed either. Also, for the truly ambitious who need to hear this: no kegs. However, 2.5-liter hydration packs are allowed, and free water refills will be available between the Banjo Stage and Arrow Meadow.

3. BYOB&F

Even with the clear-bag policy, as long as you have one of those in tow, you’re allowed to bring your own alcohol, per park rules. That means beer and wine are allowed in non-glass containers. No alcohol is sold at HSB, so your only hope of enjoying rosé that day is to bring a bottle in a non-glass container, like a thermos. You will want to bring canned beer if that’s your cup of alcoholic tea. As far as food goes, the festival encourages attendees to bring their own picnics — an HSB tradition. However, since you can’t bring a big cooler, you must be selective about what you include in the picnic. It might be best to prepare a combo of food from home, but there will also be vendors offering a delicious range of food (see a full list here).

4. Wear sunscreen, and bring a jacket

Golden Gate Park might be one of the most climate-diverse parks in the country. On Saturday, the weather forecast is 75 degrees and sunny. Hopefully, this will be the case all day, but the chances of that happening are slim. As we all know, around 5:00 p.m., the fog will roll in, but that doesn’t mean that the party will end. If you’re going to HSB for the day, bring sunscreen for the first half and a jacket for the second half. A cold HSB is an unpleasant one.

5. Take public transportation there

Finally, don’t try to be bold and drive there. Take public transportation. There will be extra Muni service on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Take the N toward Ocean Beach, and get off at 29th Avenue. If you want to take the bus, take the 5 Fulton, 5R Fulton Rapid, 31 Balboa, 38 Geary, or 38R Geary Rapid buses. HSB also has bike parking, if you prefer that method of transportation.