Jerry Garcia Amphitheater Amphitheater / Concert Venue

Named after Excelsior native and the late Grateful Dead front man, Jerry Garcia, the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater is a grassy mecca with six sloping sides that seat around 600 concert-goers while also providing a bit more boogy room for the few hundred extra carousers in attendance.

While the amphitheater was designed by four architects to house all types of events, the 62-foot long space is best known for its concerts and theater performances. This beautiful space was fortunately preserved through the use of a state grant and is situated in the heart of John McLaren Park.

The story of the amphitheater follows many bureaucratic setbacks: apparently, after Garcia’s death in 1995, a group called the Friends of McLaren Park began talking about renaming the amphitheater, but earnest attempts to make it happen didn’t coalesce until 2004. Together with the Garcia Estate, civic, neighborhood, and park groups were contacted for their support. On July 21, 2005, the Recreation and Parks Commission made the new name official. August 2012 marked the 10th anniversary of Jerry Day.

The Jerry Garcia Amphitheater features ample parking and MUNI transportation offers access to the venue – the 81, 15, 20, and 29 are designated to serve the area.