
If you can’t get enough of San Francisco’s many free concerts happening this summer, you’re in luck. The Summer of Music series is back for another year after a successful debut last summer.
The live music series starts on June 15 and will take place every Saturday and Sunday from 2- 5 pm through August. All the performances will take place outside of local businesses to further support SF neighborhoods.
Events occur in various SF neighborhoods and shopping corridors, including Valencia Street, The Castro, Clement Street, Polk Street, Chinatown, Divisadero, Haight Street, The Bayview, and Cortland Avenue.
The concert series was deemed a major success last summer, with over 750 free concerts, 70 small businesses, and 190 local musicians in total.
Legendary San Francisco promoter Noise Pop and nonprofit Civic Joy Fund united to create the music series. Noise Pop is San Francisco’s oldest independent music promoter, focusing on emerging artists with early performances from The White Stripes, Modest Mouse, and The Flaming Lips on their resume. This for-locals-by-locals event series has been home to hundreds of free performances from local Bay Area and NorCal musicians. Although these events are free for the public, all artists will be paid through corporate sponsors and individual donors.
“As our city grapples with complex challenges, it is important to strengthen the community and support local businesses. I am inspired by Summer of Music’s mission to bring joy and fun to San Franciscans while putting money into the hands of amazing local artists, and I am proud to support the initiative with a million-dollar gift,” said local philanthropist and major donor Joby Pritzker.
The Civic Joy Fund was founded to help support local businesses and to foster community engagement. The Summer of Music is just one of multiple initiatives the Civic Joy Fund is spearheading.
The Summer Of Music started when the two SF organizations wanted to address the economic struggles local businesses and artists were facing. The concert series is intended to encourage people to check out local business, pay musicians for their performances, and foster a sense of vibrancy and community.