Stern Grove

Stern Grove Festival is a beloved, admission-free outdoor summer concert series held at Sigmund Stern Grove, a natural eucalyptus-wooded amphitheater in San Francisco’s Sunset District. The festival is wheelchair, ADA, and senior (65+) accessible. A dedicated wheelchair seating section is available by advance lottery reservation — wheelchair users plus up to three guests can request a spot when entering the free GA ticket lottery. A separate first-come, first-served ADA seating section inside the Concert Meadow accommodates guests requiring ADA accommodations who are not using a wheelchair, with one companion permitted. A senior seating section with bench seating is also available on a first-come, first-served basis. ADA accessible parking is available first-come, first-served along the north side of Sloat Boulevard between 19th and 22nd Avenues. Service and support animals are both permitted at the festival.

A shuttle service runs from three street-level pickup locations to the Concert Meadow for wheelchair users, seniors, and guests requiring ADA accommodations, each accompanied by one companion. Shuttles operate from 11:00 AM to 5:30 PM, with all inbound drop-offs and outbound departures at the Vale Avenue Entrance. Three of the festival’s reserved donor picnic tables are ADA-accessible — when purchasing a table, guests are prompted to indicate if accessibility is needed. All general admission tickets to the festival are free via a lottery system; reserved picnic tables are available as paid donor options but are not required for entry.

Visitors note that arriving early is especially important for ADA and senior seating sections, as these areas fill quickly on a first-come, first-served basis. Some visitors highlight that the natural grove terrain — with grassy slopes and uneven ground — can present mobility challenges outside of the designated accessible seating areas, making the shuttle service a valuable option for reaching the Concert Meadow level.