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Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in GG Park is Cancelled. Streaming Online Only This Year.

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San Francisco’s greatest and favorite FREE outdoor music festival is cancelled again this year.  The fine folks who put Hardly Strictly Bluegrass on each year posted the bad news today on their website: www.hardlystrictlybluegrass.com, there will be performances online, but no festival in the park.

HSBG Statement:

“After consultation with our team of COVID safety advisors, and in close communication with City Of San Francisco, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass has reached the difficult conclusion that we are not able to hold the festival in Golden Gate Park this year; we can’t waver from our mission of providing the safest and most magical musical environment, with all the care and consideration for our festivalgoers and artists, that has been at the heart of Hardly Strictly for over two decades.”

It’s a sad reality, given the lineup and festival were sure to be amazing LIVE this year, you can still see a livestream of performances online this year but obviously nothing in person.  We presume due the resurgence of COVD cases across the Bay Area, a festival that brings tens of thousands of people together is a dangerous idea, who knows what Outside Lands is thinking today, they are still scheduled to open Halloween weekend.


HSB Livestream INFO:

27 sets. Three days of performances.  All live-streamed on hardlystrictlybluegrass.comfacebook.com/hardlystrictlybluegrass, and youtube.com/user/hsbfest. Tune in October 1, 2, 3 starting each day at 1pm PT/4pm ET to see this year’s fantastic line-up, brought to you *live* from the Bay Area, with additional sets filmed in New Orleans and SF earlier this year. Invite your friends and join us!

THIS YEAR’S LINEUP (CANCELLED)

Andy ShaufAni DiFranco w/ The Hardly Strictly Lesbian BandBachelorBelá Fleck “My Bluegrass Heart”Bob Mould w/ Fred ArmisenCedric Watson & Bijou Creole w/ Bruce “Sunpie” BarnesDella MaeEmmylou HarrisGalactic f/ Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph w/ Anders Osborne & Big Chief Monk BoudreauxHawktailJackie Greene w/ Tim BluhmLake Street DiveLas CafeterasMavis StaplesMeklit w/ Ambrose AkinmusirePeter Rowan w/ Michael KangRainbow Girls w/ John CraigieSeratones w/ Alynda SegarraSteve EarleTerence Blanchard w/ The E-Collective & The Turtle Island String QuartetThe Soul Rebels w/ Ivan NevilleThe Tallest Man On Earth

Last year “HSB Presents – Let the Music Play On” garnered over a million online views. This year’s festival promises to be even better, as a hybrid event with both intimate livestream sets and pre-recorded performances. Due to careful strategic planning, and a little bit of luck, “Come What May” was in production well in advance of the Delta variant’s surge, so we are able to offer a treasure trove of performances, presented in a safe environment for all – performers, crew and audience. While other events may cancel, or require complicated crowd screening, we are excited to bring three days of entertainment to everyone with Come What May – Hardly Strictly Everywhere 2021.


We will really miss seeing everyone in the Park this year – we hope to see you there in 2022!

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Alex Mak - Managing Editor

Alex Mak - Managing Editor

I'm the managing editor and co-owner of this little expiriment. I enjoy covering Bay Area News as well as writing about Arts, Culture & Nightlife.

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