Wonderful concerts planned for Stern Grove

It isn’t really summer unless you’ve enjoyed at least one free concert in the beautiful Stern Grove park, so make your plans now to meet up with your friends for a delightful evening of entertainment. Don’t forget to decide who is bringing the artisan cheese and the sauvignon blanc.

Stern Grove is celebrating 75 years of music and picnics on the lawn this summer, a pretty huge milestone. They were doing free summer concerts before every small city in America figured out what a great thing they are. On Sunday afternoons, there’s really no better place in the city to get out of your overpriced apartment and waste the day away.

The full lineup for the concerts is here. It’s a neat blend of classical, local and contemporary groups, all with great artistic appeal.

• July 8 San Francisco Symphony
• July 15 Nitin Sawhney -Meshell Ndegeocello
• July 22 The E Family
• July 29 San Francisco Ballet -Helgi Tomasson, Artistic Director
• August 5 Ozomatli – SMOD
• August 12 Al Jarreau and The George Duke Trio – Mara Hruby
• August 19 San Francisco Opera
• August 26 OK GO – The Family Crest

When to arrive: Be there by 2. Shows last 2.5 to 3.5 hours and are always wrapped up by 5:30, the perfect time to stop and grab dinner on the way home if you haven’t already stuffed your face with the picnic you brought along.

Where to park: Don’t. If you’re going to the Grove you should walk, ride a bike, or take Muni or BART/bus. There’s really no parking and you’re just asking for a hassle and a walk if you try to park in the adjacent neighborhood. Plus the neighbors will also hate your guts.

What to bring: You can bring your own food and alcohol. There’s no booze on the premises so if you want to drink be sure you bring your own. Be responsible about it (in other words, don’t try to sell your drinks to others sitting around you . That’s just tacky.) Pack a picnic, large or small, bring a blanket and a folding chair if you can transport it easily, and get ready to relax and enjoy!

More info: http://www.sterngrove.org