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Commission approves Warfest one‑time outdoor permit with staff and SFPD sound conditions
Summary
The Entertainment Commission approved a one‑time outdoor entertainment permit for the seventh annual Warfest on Oct. 19, a fundraiser featuring a chowder competition and a headline set by a new group called The Side Deal; staff and SFPD will set a sound limit at on‑site sound check.
The San Francisco Entertainment Commission voted to approve a one‑time outdoor entertainment permit for the seventh annual Warfest, a fundraising event slated for Saturday, Oct. 19, that pairs a midday chowder competition with an evening concert headlined by a new group called The Side Deal.
Applicant Raymond Sullivan presented a site map for the triangle lot near Little Embarcadero and Pier 39, described a schedule (11:00 AM load‑in and VIP access; chowder competition noon–3:00 PM; headline music 4:00–8:00 PM) and said proceeds go to WARF CARES, the event’s homeless‑services benefit. Sullivan said Mayor London Breed is expected to serve as a chowder judge.
Staff flagged that the applicant anticipated exceeding the Municipal Police Code outdoor sound limit (the transcript references “m c MPC 10 60.16”) and recommended the commission allow staff to administratively set a sound limit during on‑site sound checks based on the closest sensitive receptor. Deputy Director Azavito explained the code requires amplified sound be inaudible at 250 feet from the property plane or last attending audience member; staff said the permit would instead set a specific limit after sound checks.
Commissioners pressed about sound management and operator experience; Sullivan said Audio North (sound operator Glenn Denler) and local sound staff would conduct multiple sound checks and that speakers would be oriented toward the bay to minimize impacts for nearby hotels and residents. “We’re projecting the music out toward Alcatraz, essentially,” Sullivan said, and added that staff had notified nearby apartment buildings and hotels.
A public commenter representing the Fisherman’s Wharf community benefit district praised the event for bringing visitors and supporting merchants. The commission approved the permit with the staff and SFPD‑recommended conditions and asked staff to follow up with the applicant on next steps.
Why it matters: the event will bring major music acts and a community fundraiser to a high‑tourist area; sound levels and neighborhood impacts were the central management issue commissioners weighed.
