By Mauricio Segura July 31, 2025
Photo: GBT Graphics
San Francisco is alive with swirling tie dye, psychedelic flair, and the unmistakable spirit of community as it marks the 60th anniversary of the Grateful Dead. From August 1 through August 3, Golden Gate Park’s Polo Field will serve as the epicenter of a monumental music celebration. Dead & Company, featuring original members Bob Weir and Mickey Hart alongside John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge, Jeff Chimenti, and Jay Lane, will headline three nights of sold out concerts, each drawing approximately 60,000 fans.
In true Grateful Dead tradition, each concert evening features a different guest opener. Billy Strings kicks off Friday night, Sturgill Simpson performs Saturday as his alter ego Johnny Blue Skies, and the Trey Anastasio Band closes out Sunday. Alongside the music, the pop up “Shakedown Street” market revives the beloved communal marketplace with close to 100 vendors stretched along JFK Promenade.
Fans can expect more than just live music. In the days leading up to the concerts, a free kickoff event called “A Grateful Gathering” will animate Yerba Buena Lane on July 31. The event channels Dead happy hour energy with live music, art installations, and community spirit. That same evening, the San Francisco Public Library hosts a Jerry Garcia talk and book signing from longtime Grateful Dead insider Len Dell’Amico, offering rare stories from inside the band’s circle.
Meanwhile, Grahame Lesh, son of founding bassist Phil Lesh, is honoring his father’s legacy with his own three night concert series titled “Heart of Town,” running July 31 through August 2 at Pier 48. Featuring Grahame Lesh & Friends and guest artists inspired by Dead traditions, the event is timed so that fans can enjoy both the tribute performances and the main shows at the Polo Field.
The city itself is participating in the celebration. SFMTA has rolled out three themed Muni vehicles, the “Psychedeli bus” and the “Trippy Train,” wrapped in fluorescent floral and paisley designs that echo the Summer of Love era. These vehicles serve routes like the 5 Fulton, 7 Haight/Noriega, and N Judah and aim to increase transit use even amid a looming 322 million dollar budget deficit.
In downtown San Francisco, over 400 celebratory banners flutter across public spaces in a visual tribute to the band’s six decades of presence in the city. City Hall itself will be bathed in tie dye hues on August 3, contributing to a truly immersive city takeover. Hotel bookings have surged more than 50 percent, and city officials expect the total economic impact to surpass the 31 million dollars generated by a similar event in 2023.
Logistics reflect the scale of the event. Starting in late July, Golden Gate Park has instituted road and meadow closures across areas including Middle Drive, JFK Drive, Polo Field, Hellman Hollow, Marx Meadow, and Lindley Meadow. These restrictions remain in place through mid August. Public transit options are bolstered with enhanced Muni service, free rides for concert ticket holders, and bike parking to ease congestion.
The cultural offerings extend beyond music. A new coffee table book titled The Grateful Dead by Jim Marshall contains 265 photos from the band’s formative years from 1966 to 1977, drawn from a larger archive of nearly 10,000 images. Curated by Amelia Davis with an afterword by John Mayer, the book presents a visual tribute to the band’s roots in San Francisco.
Amidst anticipation, Dead & Company drummer Jay Lane spoke about his excitement to perform in Golden Gate Park before massive crowds and shared plans to play a free community gig on August 8 with his band Jay Lane & the Mayhem at a Harmonic Jam event at Thrive City.
While these spectacular events unfold, attendees are reminded that San Francisco often delivers cool, foggy, and breezy summers. Layered clothing is encouraged. Tickets for the concerts are long sold out. General admission for all three days cost around 635 dollars, and VIP passes have resold for over 7,000 dollars. Fans unable to attend in person can stream the shows online, and final night screenings will appear in select IMAX theaters.
This is not just a music festival. It is a citywide celebration of a cultural legacy that began in the Haight Ashbury in the 1960s and continues to thrive. Between tie dye buses, street parties, drum circles, photo exhibitions, and the echoing chords at Polo Field, San Francisco invites locals and visitors alike to plug in, remember, and dance together in the name of a legacy that resonates six decades on.
