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Recreation and Park Commission approves permit for three Dead & Company concerts at Golden Gate Park Polo Fields
Summary
The Recreation and Park Commission approved a permit allowing Another Planet Entertainment to stage three ticketed Grateful Dead anniversary concerts at the Polo Fields in Golden Gate Park, with conditions on closures, fees and neighborhood protections.
The Recreation and Park Commission on a voice vote authorized a permit for Another Planet Entertainment to stage three ticketed Dead & Company concerts at the Polo Fields in Golden Gate Park this August, a department presentation said.
The commission approved the permit after staff said the events would be ticketed, single-stage productions running from about 2:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., with music beginning at 4 p.m., and attendance capped at 59,000 per day. Dana Keshem, director of property, permits and reservations, told commissioners the promoter would pay an estimated $900,000 in department permit fees and reimburse the city for out-of-pocket costs including overtime for rangers, gardeners, transit and police.
“Please don’t come if you don’t have a ticket — watch it on the livestream,” Keshem said, urging would-be attendees not to gather in neighborhoods outside the fenced site. Keshem said the polo field would close July 23 as part of a staged park closure ahead of the events, and that nearby streets including JFK Drive and parts of Chain of Lakes Drive would be closed to cars during peak closures to manage traffic.
Staff described crowd-control measures modeled on Outside Lands: fencing around the site, VIP and ADA viewing areas, video monitoring, designated rideshare drop zones, shuttle buses from Civic Center and the Cow Palace and hiring of parking-control officers and SFPD. Keshem said the promoter will reimburse all city departments for expenses beyond the permit fee.
The department also told the commission it intends to hold a community meeting in early June to review traffic, staffing and neighborhood impacts. Multiple speakers during public comment — including small-business owners and residents — voiced support, citing expected economic boosts for nearby businesses. Commissioners approved the permit with no recorded opposition.
The approval does not change the department’s policy that promoters must reimburse city costs and comply with amplified-sound limits, Keshem said. The commission recorded the motion and carried it by voice vote.
