Jerry Garcia Amphitheatre

The Story

This amphitheater was opened to the public on October 16, 1971, taking advantage of a natural terrain formation in McLaren Park, the city's second-largest park. It spent decades underutilized, until in 2003 a community group from the Excelsior neighborhood organized the first Jerry Day there, a free celebration in honor of Jerry Garcia, who grew up very close by and spent his childhood on Harrington Street. The event grew year after year, and on July 21, 2005, the San Francisco Parks and Recreation Commission officially named the space the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater, and it continues to host Jerry Day every August, as well as other concerts and events throughout the year.

Explore more