Official site of Yerba Buena Gardens Festival

Free outdoor performing arts in downtown San Francisco

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      • Weekend Sessions
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  • Visitor Info
    • Admission-free Seating
    • Performance Times
    • Accessibility
    • Directions & Parking
    • Lost & Found
    • Food & Drink
    • Photography & Recording
    • Museums & Shopping
    • Where to Stay
    • Park Hours & Rules
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Visitor Information

YBG Festival welcomes you to Yerba Buena Gardens. YBG Festival programs take place in the many outdoor spaces of Yerba Buena Gardens which spans three city blocks bound by 3rd, 4th, Market and Folsom streets in downtown San Francisco.

  1. Seats
  2. Performance Times
  3. Directions & Parking
  4. Accessibility
  5. Lost & Found
  6. Food & Drink
  7. Photography & Recording
  8. Museums & Shopping
  9. Where to Stay
  10. Park Hours & Rules

 

Admission-Free Seating

How do I get tickets to a Yerba Buena Gardens Festival program?
All programs are admission-free and there is no designated seating. Free RSVP is recommended for highly attended weekend events. Yerba Buena Gardens Festival venues are outdoors. The majority of seating is open lawn. Patrons may sit wherever they wish. If venue chairs are available, please give priority to persons with disabilities and seniors.

Other things to know when attending YBG Festival:

  • Bring your sunscreen…and your scarf. We are an all-outdoors venue. Prepare for SF weather accordingly.
  • We are all-ages and family friendly.
  • Low lawn chairs are welcome – as long as someone sitting behind you can see, you are welcome to bring your own seat.
  • Picnic blankets (and picnics) encouraged. There are many fine restaurants nearby at the Metreon and in the surrounding neighborhood (see below).
  • Clean up after yourself – “pack it in, pack it out” and help keep the Gardens beautiful.
  • Dancing is highly encouraged!

The outdoor programs presented by Yerba Buena Gardens Festival are admission-free thanks to our sponsors and supporters like you.
 Donate. Keep us admission-free

Performance Times

What time are the shows at Yerba Buena Gardens Festival?
Our regular season runs from May through October. Most events and presentations occur at lunchtime or on the weekends. Please see our Calendar for specific dates and times.
View Calendar

Accessibility

ADA accessible. Yerba Buena Gardens is ADA accessible, including wheelchair accessible entrances to the park, restrooms, ramps, elevators and the beautiful MLK, Jr. Memorial Waterfall.

Service animals are welcome at Yerba Buena Gardens Festival.

ADA and Senior seats at Yerba Buena Gardens Festival are first-come-first-serve. Wheelchairs are accommodated. If there is a designated ADA and Senior section, guests and one companion are invited to sit in the section. Please see a staff member at the YBG Festival information table for assistance locating this area. We will do our best to accommodate guests. 

General Seating. We have a limited number of chairs, which are prioritized for ADA and Seniors. Guests are welcome to bring low lawn chairs or blankets to sit on the expansive lawn area.

American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation may be available for select YBG Festival performances and events. Visit the YBG Festival event page to learn more about available accommodations. If a guest has interpretation needs, please contact us three weeks in advance of the program so that we can do our best to accommodate the request. If a guest needs assistance getting a seat near the ASL interpreter, please ask a YBG Festival staff member.

Quiet Area. If a guest needs to step away from the crowds or concert for a while, please ask event staff at the YBG Festival Information Table which park areas might be best. Some areas may include the East Garden, Jessie Square, or the Terrace, above the Waterfall. 

Groups. If a group has special accommodation needs for an event or program (e.g. reserved seating, van parking, etc), please contact us and we will do our best to accommodate the request.

Requests/Questions. Please contact us:
Email info@ybgfestival.org 

Call (415)543-1718 

Directions

Where is Yerba Buena Gardens?

Yerba Buena Gardens Visitor Map in San Francisco

 

Public Transit Directions

Which BART, bus or train do I take to Yerba Buena Gardens?
bartable: bart.gov/bartableBART/MUNI stations for Powell and Montgomery are both 2 blocks away from Yerba Buena Gardens.

MUNI Bus lines 8X/8AX/8BX San Bruno, 14 Mission, 30 Stockton, 45 Union/ Stockton run past Yerba Buena Gardens. All Market St. routes, including Powell and Montgomery stations, are 2 blocks away.

The CalTrain Station at Fourth and Townsend Sts. is served directly by MUNI’s 30 Stockton, with stops on Third St. at Howard St. and at Mission St. Yerba Buena Gardens Festival is also convenient to Golden Gate Transit, SamTrans and AC Transit downtown bus routes.
Google Directions

What is the best way to get to Yerba Buena Gardens by driving?

Driving Directions from the East Bay

Take I-80 and exit at Fremont St. Take an immediate left from Fremont onto Howard St. and get into the right lane. Go two blocks and turn right on Third St. Yerba Buena Gardens will be immediately on your left across from the SFMOMA.

Driving Directions from the Peninsula

Take Highway 101 until it connects to I-80 and exit at Fourth St. Fourth will lead onto Bryant St. Take a left from Bryant onto Third St. Yerba Buena Gardens will be on your left between Howard and Mission Sts. and across from the SF Museum of Modern Art.

Driving Directions from the North Bay

Take Highway 101 to Lombard St. From Lombard turn right onto Van Ness Ave. From Van Ness Ave. turn left onto Golden Gate Ave. Golden Gate becomes Sixth St. as it crosses Market St. Turn left from Sixth St. onto Folsom St. Turn left onto Third St. Yerba Buena Gardens will be on your left between Howard and Mission Sts. and across from the SFMoMA.
Google Directions

Parking

Is there parking around Yerba Buena Gardens?


Large Map of Parking Garages Near Yerba Buena Gardens Festival
 

Lost & Found

I lost stuff at Yerba Buena Gardens. Is there a Lost & Found?
Lost & Found is located at the Yerba Buena Gardens Management office. Drop in (see ★ on Gardens map) or call (415-651-3684).
Call (415-651-3684)

Food & Drink

Is there food at Yerba Buena Gardens Festival?
While there are no food vendors within the Great Lawn area of the Yerba Buena Gardens, there are plenty of food and drink options just steps away. Picnics are welcome and encouraged, but cooking and alcoholic beverages are prohibited. For a complete list of dining options, from grab-and-go eateries to formal dining, go to
visityerbabuena.org

Photography/Recording

Can I bring my camera to Yerba Buena Gardens Festival?
Professional photography or recording of performances is not permitted. Film or photo shoots in Yerba Buena Gardens require an event permit and may incur fees.
Apply for a Permit

Museums, Shopping & More

What else is there to do at Yerba Buena Gardens?
There is quite a bit to check out in and around Yerba Buena Gardens. Explore the Yerba Buena neighborhood’s culture, nightlife, recreation, and shopping at
visityerbabuena.org

Where to Stay

What hotels are in the area?
The San Francisco Marriott Marquis offers the closest accommodations to the outdoor concerts and is the Official Hotel Sponsor for the 2024 YBG Festival Season. Situated downtown, the San Francisco Marriott Marquis provides easy access to Yerba Buena Gardens, an array of Yerba Buena museums and many popular tourist destinations. Learn more on their website.

Marriott Marquis San Francisco
Hotel Website

Park Hours & Rules

What am I allowed to bring to Yerba Buena Gardens Festival?

Welcome to Yerba Buena Gardens. Open Sunrise till 10P.M. In order to keep the Gardens enjoyable for everyone, the following uses are not allowed: Smoking. Littering. Swimming, Wading or Bathing. Climbing. Alcoholic Beverages. Animals (Except Companion Animals). Feeding of birds and animals. Riding Bicycles. Flying Kites. Team Sports. No wheeled conveyances including: Skateboard, Roller Skates, Roller Blades and carts. San Francisco Park Code is Enforced in the Gardens.
For the most accurate information on hours, rules, and park amenities, visit the Yerba Buena Gardens Facilities Management site at
yerbabuenagardens.com

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A guest on traditional, unceded Ramaytush Ohlone Land.
VENUE: Yerba Buena Gardens, Mission St. between 3rd and 4th Sts., San Francisco
OFFICE: Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, 760 Howard St., San Francisco, CA 94103
PHONE: (415) 543-1718

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