Outside Lands festival takes cue from first go-round
By: Kamala Kelkar
Examiner Staff Writer
July 31, 2009
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| Top talent: Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, far left, and singer Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas will be perfoming at the upcoming Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. (Getty Images) |
SAN FRANCISCO — In an effort to prevent last year’s parking problems inside and around Golden Gate Park, city officials and promoters of the three-day Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival are offering extra bus lines, free bicycle valets and shuttles from areas throughout The City.
Last August, headliners Radiohead, Tom Petty and Jack Johnson helped attract more than 130,000 people for the first Outside Lands, which raked in about $815,000 for The City’s Recreation and Park Department.
It also brought in an overwhelming amount of traffic and illegal parking, said Richmond district resident Ray Holland, president of the neighborhood group Planning Association for the Richmond.
“A blocked driveway is the worst,” he said. “People just don’t realize how little it takes to block one.”
Along with noise, concerns associated with the crush of cars were the major complaints.
Officials with Another Planet Entertainment, along with city agencies, said they have been working with neighborhood groups to prevent such problems this year.
A shuttle will be offered in an effort to keep people from driving to the park, according to Rec and Park Property Manager Nick Kimsey.
At a cost of $25 for a three-day pass, concertgoers can take a shuttle to and from Golden Gate Park from six locations: the Daly City BART station, Caltrain station, 16th and Mission streets, Park Presidio, Fort Mason and UCSF. A single-day shuttle pass is $9.
The cost would be in addition to the ticket price, which is currently $89.50 for a single day and $225.50 for all three days.
This year, the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition — which parked about 6,000 bikes last year — will provide a more extended valet system with more pickup and drop-off sites, Kimsey said.
Another problem from last year’s event was the miles of fencing that blocked pathways starting about a week before the concert that made it difficult for residents to get through the park, according to Cammy Blackstone, legislative aide for Supervisor Carmen Chu, who
represents neighborhoods south of the park.
Fencing will still go up about a week in advance, but there will be signs showing people where they can get through, Kimsey said.
Music in the park
Details about August’s Outside Lands:
What: Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival
Where: Golden Gate Park, Polo Field and surrounding areas, San Francisco
When: Aug. 27 to 29
Cost: Single day is $89.50, three days is $225.50 (advance-purchase prices)
Entrances: 19th and 25th avenues at Lincoln Way; 30th and 35th avenues at Fulton Street
Headliners
Friday: Pearl Jam, Incubus, Thievery Corporation, Tom Jones
Saturday: Dave Matthews Band, Black Eyed Peas, The Mars Volta, Jason Mraz
Sunday: M.I.A, Ween, Modest Mouse (substitute for Beastie Boys pending)
Source: Outside Lands,
www.sfoutsidelands.com
kkelkar@sfexaminer.com
