Stern Grove Festival: San Francisco Ballet
One of the most beloved summer traditions of San Francisco, the Stern Grove Festival has been presenting a diverse array of music and entertainment for free afternoon outdoor concerts every year since 1938. Now in its 78th year, the weekly Sunday concerts bring music and nature lovers out to the Avenues to enjoy music, picnicking and relaxation in the Grove's serene meadow surrounded by giant eucalyptus, redwood and fir trees. It's difficult to believe such an peaceful oasis exists so close to the bustling intersection of 19th and Sloat Avenues.
In addition to the weekly summer concerts, the Festival presents interactive community outreach programs for audiences of all ages at many of the shows with Kids Days, performances at the special KidStage and pre-concert Artist Talks also making up a major portion of the schedule. Savvy regular attendees know to arrive as early as 9 a.m. or 10 a.m. in the morning to stake out space close to the stage for concerts that start at 2 p.m. Weather in the avenues can be unpredictable, so it is recommended that you bring layers of clothing as well as sunscreen and plenty of water for the days that end up being more like the summer other parts of the Bay Area are accustomed to.
For the last weekend July, the Festival welcomes the San Francisco Ballet for it's annual visit. Included in the free recital by the world-class dance company will be Lambarena (choreographer Val Caniparoli, composer Johan Sebastian Bach and traditional African music, as arranged by Pierre Akendengue and Hughes de Courson), Rush© (choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, composer Bohuslav Martinu), excerpts from Theme and Variations (choreographer George Balanchine, composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky), Frayed (choreographer Myles Thatcher, music by Ruf!) and Solo (choreographer Van Manen, composer Ludwig Van Beethoven). For more information on the Stern Grove Festival, please visit the official Stern Grove website.
Stern Grove Festival: San Francisco Ballet
Sunday, July 26, 2 p.m. Free
Stern Grove