A San Francisco native, Jerry Garcia created an unparalleled legacy across the American landscape, most notably in his role as a founding member, singer, songwriter and lead guitarist of the Grateful Dead. Unequivocally devoted to the craft of music, Garcia’s other projects included the Jerry Garcia Band, Old & In the Way, Legion of Mary, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Garcia/Grisman, and the Saunders-Garcia Band with Merl Saunders, among others.
From Aug. 1 through Aug. 14, San Francisco will come alive and step back in time with a series of events and activations celebrating Garcia. The Jerry Garcia events invite residents and visitors to explore San Francisco by following in the footsteps of this icon with a visit to the Excelsior District, Garcia’s childhood neighborhood; Haight Street, home of the psychedelic scene; the iconic McLaren Park, where the Jerry Garcia Amphitheatre is located; and Stern Grove, where the band once played.
"Jerry Garcia defined the music and culture of the 1960s and helped to place San Francisco on the map as the place for music," said Joe D'Alessandro, president and CEO of San Francisco Travel Association. "Visitors come from all over the world to see where it all began."
The multi-day celebration was created in partnership with the Jerry Garcia Family LLC, Red Light Management, Stern Grove Festival, San Francisco Public Library, San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, ArtSpan, Excelsior Action Group, Haight Street Merchants Association, TogetherSF, San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development, San Francisco Public Works and San Francisco Travel.
“Jerry Garcia was born in San Francisco to immigrant parents and went on to become a cultural figure all over the world, connecting people through the power of music! The Jerry Garcia Family is honored that our father is being honored by the city of San Francisco on the year of his 80th birthday. May the music never stop!” said Trixie Garcia.
From Aug. 1 to Sept 1: Dive into history. San Francisco Public Library’s Excelsior Branch will host a small exhibit honoring Jerry Garcia. The display celebrates his legacy, the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater and recognizes his childhood roots in the Excelsior District. It also includes information about how to access books, music and other resources about Garcia and the Grateful Dead for free with an SFPL Library card. More details at https://sfpl.org/exhibits/2022/08/01/jerry-day-20th-anniversary.
On Aug. 2: Attend Jerry Garcia Night at Oracle Park when the San Francisco Giants play the LA Dodgers.
From Aug. 7 to Aug. 14: Enjoy Haight Street, where it all began, and take a walk back in time with the music and art of Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead.
From Aug. 11 to Aug. 13: Celebrate the rich culture and diversity of San Francisco’s Excelsior neighborhood with art, music and food. On Aug.13, the Excelsior neighborhood will showcase unique visual installations and live music at select venues from 7 to 10 pm during the Jerry Day afterparty.
Aug. 12: Sit back and enjoy a panel discussion at Manny’s with Steve Parish, Jerry’s long-time tech and confidante, and David Nelson, one of Jerry’s longest-running Musical collaborators, as they discuss Jerry Garcia and his legacy.
Aug. 13: Give back and hang out at the Ocean Beach Clean-up with the Garcia family and TogetherSF.
Aug. 13: Rock out to the music of Jerry Garcia with Melvin Seals & JGB and Stu Allen & Mars Hotel at Jerry Day, a civic and cultural event that celebrates Jerry Garcia. This year the Jerry Day concert at the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater in McLaren Park marks the event’s 20th anniversary.
Aug. 14: Groove at the 85th Stern Grove Festival’s Big Picnic with Phil Lesh & Friends. Lesh’s performance at Stern Grove Festival 2022 will mark the first admission-free concert in his hometown in the San Francisco Bay Area in more than 30 years. Scott Metzger of Joe Russo's Almost Dead and Grammy Award-nominated jazz guitarist Stanley Jordan will join Lesh on stage in addition to other notable seasoned session players, including Stuart Bogie, John Molo, Jason Crosby, Katie Jacoby, and Mikaela Davis. Bay Area-native Grahame Lesh, co-founder of the band Midnight North, will also join his father on stage to help round out the lineup. Although festival admission is free, fans must first RSVP in advance to reserve their spot on a first-come, first-served basis via the online portal through www.sterngrove.org. Reservations for the Aug. 14 show start at 2 p.m. PT on Aug. 2.
Stern Grove Festival Executive Director Bob Fiedler said, "We are so excited to be presenting Phil Lesh and Friends on August 14, as one of the founding members of the Grateful Dead keeping the music of Jerry and the group alive today. This show carries on the great tradition from the band's early years of playing free shows for the public."
“The Grateful Dead’s legendary history is infused with the magic of music in our parks,” said San Francisco Recreation and Park Department General Manager Phil Ginsburg. “From the 1967 Human Be-In at Golden Gate Park to Deadheads keeping the magic alive at McLaren Park and Stern Grove today, nature and music go together. We are thrilled to be part of this incredible celebration.”
"We're ecstatic to bring the annual Jerry Day celebration back to Jerry Garcia Amphitheater for its 20-year anniversary. We're even more excited to see the City come together as we celebrate Jerry Garcia's musical legacy and visit his San Francisco roots in a true, authentic way. Whether it's the Excelsior District, the Haight, or Stern Grove, visitors will get a feel of his humble beginnings, accomplishments as an artist and co-founder of the Grateful Dead, and his ability to captivate fans from around the world," said Jerry Day Founder Tom Murphy.
“San Francisco Public Library looks forward to welcoming Jerry Garcia and Dead fans to the Excelsior Branch Library to learn more about the life of one of San Francisco’s most iconic artists,” said City Librarian Michael Lambert. “We are thrilled to be a part of this citywide celebration and to have this opportunity to raise awareness about all of the cool resources, including music, we have in our collection, all of which are free to borrow with a SFPL library card.”
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