Outside Lands Music Festival San Francisco 2026: What to know before you go

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Outside Lands returns to Golden Gate Park this weekend, bringing tens of thousands of people, more than 100 local restaurants and more than 140 artists to San Francisco for three days of music, food, art and other attractions.

The festival runs Friday through Sunday, Aug. 7-9. Organizers say tickets sold out well ahead of opening day.

"We sold out well in advance. It's a very hot ticket," Outside Lands co-founder Scott Allen said Thursday as ABC7 Eyewitness News got a behind-the-scenes look at the final preparations.

The festival will feature seven stages across Golden Gate Park, with Charli XCX headlining Friday, The Strokes on Saturday and RÜFÜS DU SOL closing out the weekend Sunday.

Festivalgoers should use the entrance that matches their ticket type:

• General admission: 26th Avenue and Fulton Street, or Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Metson Road

• GA+: 26th Avenue and Fulton Street, or the South VIP Gate on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive just west of Metson Road

• VIP and Golden Gate Club: 36th Avenue and JFK Drive, or the South VIP Gate on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive just west of Metson Road

• ADA entrance: 36th Avenue and JFK Drive

For people still hoping to attend, tickets are available on the resale market, though prices can be steep. Eyewitness News found single-day general admission tickets listed Thursday for roughly $500 to $800.

The music is only part of the draw. Organizers are again putting a heavy emphasis on Bay Area businesses.

"Outside Lands is host to 102 local Bay Area restaurants," food curator Tanya Koehler said.

The food lineup includes longtime Bay Area establishments as well as newer businesses. Five cuisines are new to the festival this year: Panamanian, Puerto Rican, Singaporean, Ethiopian and Nigerian.

Organizers are also introducing snack-size versions of some entrees for $16 or less, designed to allow festivalgoers to try food from multiple vendors rather than commit to a single full-size meal.

Koehler said the goal is to turn the enormous festival audience into customers for local restaurants long after the stages come down.

"We want people to come here and explore the food scene at Outside Lands, and then think about where they want to make a reservation next week," Koehler said.

The festival is also highlighting longtime Bay Area institutions, including Original Joe's and Balboa Cafe, along with newer restaurants and pop-ups.

That local-business focus extends beyond food.

A mini vintage market returns this year in McLaren Pass, featuring 12 local vintage businesses over the course of the weekend. Four different vendors will be featured each day.

Moody Goose Vintage is among the businesses participating and will set up at the festival Sunday.

"We find a lot of new friends and new customers that way is like people stop by and then realize we have a storefront and end up being loyal customers," store manager Emmie McManus said.

McManus said the market also provides an alternative to buying inexpensive clothing specifically for a festival and then rarely wearing it again. The store plans to bring jackets, among other items, for festivalgoers who may find themselves unprepared for San Francisco's changing temperatures.

Outside Lands is also launching an artist-in-residence program this year, expanding the visual art incorporated into the festival grounds.

Artists Maria A. Guzman Capron and Seth Capron are among those participating. Their work includes colorful tree dancers and Bay Benches designed for people to sit, gather and interact with the installations.

"There's going to be so much energy with the music and the food, and now with this art residency, it's exciting to be part of it," Maria Guzman Capron said.

Organizers said some of the artwork is intended to remain in Golden Gate Park after the festival ends.

Other familiar areas are returning with upgrades. Dolores, the festival's space celebrating queer culture, will have a larger stage this year. Organizers have also increased production at the SOMA dance and electronic music area.

With tens of thousands of people expected to descend on the western side of San Francisco each day, city officials are urging festivalgoers to leave their cars at home.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) plans to increase Muni service throughout the weekend. Detailed information about transit routes, taxi stands, street closures and transportation options is available at SFMTA.com.

"Driving is not recommended. We do anticipate additional traffic. So, if you can walk, bike or take Muni, those are certainly your best options," SFMTA spokesperson Erica Kato said.

SFMTA said it will also deploy additional staff, including inspectors, parking control officers and ambassadors, to help manage traffic and keep transit moving.

The agency said it has made adjustments to its plans based on previous large events and will have more field inspectors working to prevent buses from becoming stuck in traffic.

The city is also making changes involving autonomous vehicles around Golden Gate Park.

Waymo vehicles contributed to congestion following San Francisco's Fourth of July fireworks, when large crowds leaving the waterfront created transportation problems.

City officials said they have since coordinated with Waymo on restrictions designed to prevent a similar situation during Outside Lands.

"The city has worked closely with Waymo on making sure that that does not happen again, and have established a perimeter around the festival that Waymos will not be in," San Francisco Recreation and Parks General Manager Sarah Madland said.

City agencies are coordinating with police, firefighters, public health officials and transportation workers throughout the weekend.

Officials also have a community hotline for neighbors to report festival-related problems. The hotline, at 415-965-8001, will be actively staffed during the event, with crews available to respond to issues.

Uber and Lyft remain options, but riders should prepare for traffic, crowds and potentially higher fares, particularly as performances end each night.

One Uber driver ABC7 Eyewitness News spoke with Thursday said demand typically jumps after large concerts.

"There's always surge prices when people get done with, like, concerts and stuff. So, yeah, I expect a lot of traffic," the driver said.

Festival organizers say Outside Lands' impact stretches far beyond the park itself.

An economic impact report commissioned last year found the festival generated nearly $100 million for the Bay Area economy, according to Allen. Visitors spend money at hotels, restaurants, stores and transportation services throughout the region.

The festival has also generated $52 million in rent payments to the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department over its history, Madland said. That money supports park services and programs across the city.

For set times and a festival map, click here.