NEWS
Mayor Lurie Planning to Bring Dead & Company to Golden Gate Park in Celebration of Grateful Dead's 60th Anniversary
Three-Day Event at Polo Field Would Honor Grateful Dead and San Francisco’s Musical Legacy, Drive Major Economic Activity
SAN FRANCISCO – Mayor Daniel Lurie and San Francisco Recreation and Park today announced a plan for San Francisco to host a once-in-a-generation musical celebration. If approved, Dead & Company will perform three historic, ticketed concerts at Golden Gate Park’s Polo Fields on August 1, 2, and 3, commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Grateful Dead.
Rooted in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, the Grateful Dead fostered a sound and spirit that helped define a cultural movement. Now, six decades later, the city is planning to honor that legacy by welcoming fans from around the world to the park that helped launch it. The proposed weekend of music would be a singular celebration—not part of any recurring festival—bringing Dead & Company back to the city where it all began.
“From Haight-Ashbury and the Grateful Dead house to the Excelsior, where Jerry Garcia grew up, the Grateful Dead is embedded in San Francisco's history,” said Mayor Lurie. “Sixty years later, we’re still enjoying their music—and this summer, we get to enjoy the music of Dead & Company once again. The weekend will celebrate our city’s creative spirit, boost our local economy, and bring generations of fans together. This is more than just a concert—it’s a San Francisco homecoming.”
“Golden Gate Park and the Grateful Dead share a rich, intertwined history that helped shape a cultural era,” said San Francisco Recreation and Park General Manager Phil Ginsburg. “Celebrating their 60th anniversary with a Dead & Company performance in the very place where the Summer of Love took root is a powerful tribute to their legacy. These concerts not only honor their cultural impact but also shine a light on the park’s surrounding neighborhood—its restaurants, local businesses, and vibrant community.”
The proposal will go before the Recreation and Park Commission on May 15. The concerts would be presented by Another Planet Entertainment and co-produced with Live Nation, in partnership with the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department.
If approved, the concerts are expected to draw up to 60,000 attendees per day, delivering significant benefits to the city’s hotels, restaurants, and small businesses. Preliminary projections indicate that the weekend could generate tens of millions in economic activity and support hundreds of local jobs. Dead & Company’s three-day show in 2023 generated $31 million in local economic activity.
The proposed concerts would offer food and beverage offerings and a comprehensive transportation plan to ensure safe and sustainable access to the shows. The event would also include enhanced security, extensive cleanup efforts, and strong community engagement to minimize neighborhood impacts.
More details from Dead & Company—including a first look at what the historic weekend could bring—are coming soon.