One of San Francisco’s biggest music festivals, Outside Lands, is coming back to Golden Gate Park this summer with a buzzy 2026 lineup that includes Charli xcx, The Strokes, Rüfüs Du Sol, Death Cab for Cutie and Pink Panthress.

The three-day festival that starts Friday, Aug. 7, and lasts through Sunday, Aug. 9, will be packed because, as of publication, several ticket packages, both three-day tickets and single-day tickets, are sold out.

If you did get tickets to the show this year, you might have questions about parking, public transit, the bag policy and more.

For those who haven’t been before, Outside Lands is a huge, sprawling event that takes over a large part of Golden Gate Park and impacts a lot of the surrounding areas of the Richmond and Sunset districts in San Francisco.

Keep reading for our guide to this year’s Outside Lands festival with everything you need to know, from what to bring to Outside Lands, the weather in Golden Gate Park, maps of the festival, road closures and if there is still a chance to buy tickets.

(L-R) Albert Hammond Jr. and Julian Casablancas of The Strokes perform during the 2026 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival on June 12, 2026, in Manchester, Tennessee. (Erika Goldring/Getty Images)

Jump straight to:

Can I still buy tickets for Outside Lands?
Where is the Outside Lands will-call or box office to pick up my wristband?
Can I bring my own food to Outside Lands?
Where can I find parking for Outside Lands?
What are the Outside Lands road closures, and where can I get dropped off?
Can I take off my wristband or leave Outside Lands to reenter?
What’s the best way to get to Golden Gate Park using public transit?
What are the bag rules at Outside Lands?

Can I still get tickets for Outside Lands 2026? How does the waitlist work?

As of publication, options like General Admission, General Admission + and VIP are sold out. Check out KQED’s thorough rundown on how to secure legit tickets for Outside Lands 2026.

[ad fullwidth]

Keep in mind: Outside Lands tickets are physical wristbands and are nontransferable.

What’s the Outside Lands 2026 schedule, and when does the festival start?

The gates open at 11 a.m. all three days, and it will happen rain or shine.

The lineup time slots are now available on Outside Lands’ website, making planning for the concert easier (and emotionally difficult, if you have favorites playing at the same time).

Where is the will call to pick up my wristband for Outside Lands?

Your wristband is your ticket, and most people get their wristband in the mail.

But if you bought your tickets after July 28, you’ll have to pick up your wristband at will call in Golden Gate Park during the week of the festival or when you first arrive at Outside Lands. The box office is at Marx Meadow, located at the intersection of 25th Avenue and Fulton Street, and is open:

Wednesday, Aug. 5, from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 6, from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 7, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 8, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 9, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

What if you purchased your Outside Lands tickets before July 28 but haven’t received your wristbands yet? Festival organizers say if you didn’t receive a tracking number by the week of Outside Lands, you should submit a request with Front Gate Tickets as soon as possible.

Getting to Outside Lands by car: Where are the road closures?

Outside Lands organizers (and KQED reporters) recommend ticket holders don’t drive to the festival — and when you read our information about road closures and the parking situation, you may understand why.

Road closures for Outside Lands

According to Golden Gate Park’s website, “during the week prior to the Outside Lands Festival (Mon-Thurs), JFK Drive from Transverse to 36th Ave. will be closed. JFK Drive from Transverse to 36th Ave. will remain closed through the Wednesday following the Golden Gate Park Concert.”

PinkPantheress performs at the Mojave Tent during the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at Empire Polo Club on April 18, 2026, in Indio, California. (Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for Coachella)

These are the entrances closed on the north side of Golden Gate Park, according to the park’s official website:

Transverse Drive at Crossover Drive
JFK Drive at Transverse Drive
30th Avenue
36th Avenue
43rd Avenue (Chain of Lakes)
47th Avenue
The Great Highway at JFK Drive

These are the entrances closed on the south side of the park:

Martin Luther King Jr. Drive at Crossover Drive
25th Avenue
Sunset Boulevard at Irving Street
41st Avenue (Chain of Lakes)
Martin Luther King Jr. Drive at Lincoln Avenue

If you have any questions about road closures or restrictions, you can call 415-965-8001 or email community@sfoutsidelands.com or community@anotherplanetent.com.

Where can I get picked up or dropped off at Outside Lands?

If you’re looking for a good pickup or drop-off point — either for yourself or because you’re someone else’s ride — Outside Lands recommends “several blocks north or south of the park” — particularly advising that you try Geary Boulevard or Balboa Street to the north or Irving Street to the south.

Be aware that rideshare apps will impose dynamic pricing for an event like Outside Lands, which will make even a short ride much more expensive than usual.

According to SFMTA, taxi stands can be found at:

Fulton Street between 24th and 25th avenues
Fulton Street between 28th and 29th avenues
Irving Street between 26th and 27th avenues
Larkin Street between Hayes and Grove streets (Taxi Shuttle service to festival)

These areas were explicitly forbidden to be used as a pick-up/drop-off point:

Lincoln Way, between 25th and 41st avenues
Fulton Street, between 26th and 37th avenues
26th, 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th, 31st, 32nd, 33rd, 34th, 35th, 36th and 37th avenues, between Fulton and Cabrillo streets
All streets in Golden Gate Park, including Crossover Drive, from Friday at 11 a.m. to Sunday at 11:59 p.m.

Where can I find parking for Outside Lands?

Let’s get this out of the way: There is no “official” general parking for Outside Lands. (Jump straight to more information on accessible parking below.)

Remember, if you’re choosing to try to park near Outside Lands, break-ins are common in San Francisco — so leave nothing visible in your vehicle, and if at all possible, leave your trunk exposed to show it’s empty.

Never leave any electronics like laptops in your vehicle, even if you think they’re hidden. Read our full guide to reducing your chances of suffering a car break-in in San Francisco (and if you’re unlucky enough to have your car broken into, our guide to how to claim the costs of window repair and stolen items from your insurance provider.)

Les Tran, 35, cuddles with Joshua Tree, 29, at Outside Lands on Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025. The two met on Grindr an hour before catching a drag performance at Dolores’ stage together. (Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)

Can I pay to use a resident’s parking spot?

Some schools near Golden Gate Park sell their parking during Outside Lands to fundraise money, such as Argonne Elementary School (which is offering reservations this year).

Residents around Golden Gate Park may also sell their parking spaces to festival visitors. You can find these on Reddit, Facebook or even by trolling through the Sunset District in person and seeing who has signs up. If you choose to go this route to find parking, stay extra vigilant for scams, and make sure you’re always sending money to the right person.

You may have some luck finding a parking space on a third-party parking website like SpotHero.

What about blocking a driveway, even if it’s mine?

According to the SFMTA, the San Francisco Transportation Code allows residents to park in the street and block their own driveway “provided the driveway does not serve more than two tenants.” Vehicles may never be parked on the sidewalk.

During Outside Lands, the SFMTA will enforce blocked driveways “on a complaint basis only,” SFMTA said. Of course, that does not give you free rein to block a person’s driveway — they’ll almost certainly make that complaint and have you towed if they don’t recognize your car.

If you live near Golden Gate Park, you can check Outside Lands’ Neighborhood 311 advisory page for residents for any updates.

How to get to Outside Lands using public transit

Getting to Outside Lands using SF Muni

SFMTA published a useful map of your options for transportation routes to Outside Lands (PNG), and the agency has its own guide on getting to Golden Gate Park on Muni.

Fans should also keep an eye on SFMTA’s guidance page for any major updates to routes, which include:

The 7 Haight/Noriega,28 19th Avenue,29 Sunset and 44 O’Shaughnessy serve areas of Golden Gate Park and may be subject to crowds.
The 38 Geary and 38R Geary Rapid routes, which are four blocks north of the Fulton Street/30th Avenue entrance to Golden Gate Park, can also be alternative options to and from the event.

Remember: after performances end, lines for these buses get long fast, so the sooner you arrive to try for a seat, the better.

You can plan your Muni trip on 511.org and check Muni’s arrival information on Next Bus.

Using the official Outside Lands shuttle

You can hop a ride on the Outside Lands shuttle from the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium (near the Civic Center BART station).

These “coach-style buses” are pre-paid and cost around $37.75 for a one-day pass.

The service will begin running each day at 11 a.m. and run “continuously all day with limited coverage” from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., with the last shuttle to the festival leaving at 8 p.m.

As for getting back, return shuttles run until one hour after the music ends each night, festival organizers say.

Outside Lands officials strongly recommend taking BART to Civic Center to pick up the official shuttle, but if you do drive, paid parking is available in the Civic Center Parking Garage adjacent to the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium for a fee (entrance at McAllister Street between Polk Street and Larkin Street).

Getting to Outside Lands on BART

The nearest BART station to Golden Gate Park is Civic Center. From there, you can travel onward to Outside Lands using SF Muni or use the official paid Outside Lands shuttle, which departs from the nearby Bill Graham Civic Auditorium.

Parking at BART stations with BART-run parking lots is free after 3 p.m. on Friday and free all day on Saturday and Sunday (except for the Milpitas and Berryessa/North San José stations, which still charge on weekends).

You can use the BART Trip Planner to hash out the details.

Getting to Outside Lands by bike

You can park your bike at the festival, with parking available at the eastern and southern parts of the festival site.

Bay Wheels, run by rideshare app Lyft, is available at the festival on JFK Drive, just east of Transverse Drive, to park your bike or get a bike home. Use this website to find Bay Wheels near you.

Make a plan for getting home each night (and know your last transit option)

In past festivals, music usually ends at 10 p.m. on all days.

Phil Ginsburg, general manager of San Francisco Parks and Recreation, told KQED in 2023 that exit routes are “very well marked and the strategies for both entering and leaving the festival are pretty well established at this point and we’ll have tons of security, and there’s a lot of lighting in the area to keep people safe as they exit the festival.”

Use BART’s Trip Planner and SFMTA’s Trip Planner to check what time the last service of the day is.

Chappell Roan performs at Outside Lands 2024. (Alive Coverage/Outside Lands)

If you’re hoping to get a rideshare like Uber or Lyft home from Outside Lands, remember those recommended pickup locations around Golden Gate Park — and that dynamic surge pricing for these services will almost certainly mean that ordering an Uber or Lyft home will be pretty pricey. (If you’re determined, you may wish to consider pre-organizing a crew to share the ride and split the cost.)

Can I take off my wristband or leave Outside Lands to reenter?

No, keep your wristband on your wrist if you’re attending multiple days of Outside Lands. (It’s waterproof, so you can shower with it.)

Same-day reentry is not allowed. But if you have to leave the festival, festival organizers ask that you speak with a supervising staff member at an exit before leaving to work out the details.

If you end up needing to replace your wristband, bring your order number and a government-issued ID to the festival box office. You can only get it replaced once, for $25. This option is only available for tickets purchased through Front Gate Tickets or the Ticketmaster Verified Exchange.

What to know about accessibility at Outside Lands

There is a designated ADA Entrance at 36th Avenue & JFK Drive. This is where the Access Center is, and you can request a golf cart inside or get a collar for your service animal.

For accessible pickup and drop-off, attendees “must enter the park at 36th Avenue and Fulton Street and will be directed to the Access Entrance to the festival on 36th Avenue and JFK Drive.”

There is limited ADA parking available, and it is first come, first served. You can access this parking by entering 36th Avenue and Fulton Street and talking to the gate agents. It is worth noting that some of the ADA parking is on roads with uneven terrain, with a walk to the ADA gate. Notify the parking staff so they can request a shuttle for you to the gate.

Nori Nakayama, right, poses for a portrait as Glass Animals performs at Outside Lands on Aug. 9, 2025. (Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)

There is a lot of demand for shuttles, so Outside Lands is limiting “capacity to our disabled patrons plus one companion.” Because of the “limited number” of shuttles, Outside Lands organizers advise disabled festival goers to “please expect a wait, and plan your requests accordingly.”

Outside Lands provides elevated platforms at the following stages: Sutro, Twin Peaks and Lands End stages. There are “banquet style” folding chairs available at all of the platforms.

ADA restrooms are next to all of the accessible-viewing platforms. Restrooms at Outside Lands also have accessible options at the ends.

Festival organizers recommend that you email access@sfoutsidelands.com ahead of time with any accessibility questions or requests.

Do I need to bring a jacket to Outside Lands?

Yes, it’s August. But it’s Golden Gate Park. Sorry, you still need to bring a jacket!

You can keep an eye on the National Weather Service’s forecast for San Francisco as the festival draws closer. Golden Gate Park is near the ocean, and it gets cold even when other parts of San Francisco are toasty. Forgetting layers for a day in the park is a classic mistake you don’t want to make.

Also, another outfit suggestion from experienced KQED reporters: Comfortable shoes you don’t mind getting dirty.

You can also consider buying earplugs that allow for sounds to get through for around $30, to protect your hearing.

What can I bring to Outside Lands?

Some items you can bring to Outside Lands include:

Clear backpacks and bags
Non-clear small bags like fanny packs and purses up to 6” x 8” x 3”
Empty dedicated hydration packs with a capacity under 2.5L/150 inches and just one pocket (standard-size backpacks with hydration bladders will not be allowed into the festival)
Personal-sized hand sanitizer

Ticketholders are encouraged to bring a reusable water bottle and refill it at one of the water stations around the festival.

Festival goers dance along the Panhandle stage as Fcukers perform at Outside Lands on Aug. 8, 2025. (Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)

You can reserve a locker on the festival grounds in advance, but be sure to do so as soon as possible, as these reservations can sell out quickly.

Some items you can’t bring to Outside Lands include:

Glow-sticks, laser pointers (however, glow bracelets and necklaces are allowed)
Weapons, fireworks (including pocket knives)
Your own alcohol
Pets (apart from service dogs)
Glass or cans
Video or audio recording equipment (including drones, GoPros and selfie sticks)
Professional still camera equipment with “a detachable lens longer than 2 inches, tripods, big zooms or commercial use rigs.
Skateboards, scooters or personal motorized vehicles
Strollers, wagons or carts
Hammocks, umbrellas, picnic baskets, coolers, liquids
Chairs with legs or tents

Can I bring my own food into Outside Lands, and what food is available there?

The Outside Lands FAQ and venue information states that bringing your own alcohol into the festival is prohibited, but does not explicitly ban bringing your own food. Just remember: the Outside Lands bag policy prohibits common kinds of non-clear backpacks and coolers.

You can check the Outside Lands food vendor list on its website. (This reporter has an affinity for Bun Mee and Hayz Dog. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic options are served, as well.)

Or, as KQED Arts reported back in 2014, another option apparently favored by some locals is to “bury bottles of liquor in Golden Gate Park a week before the festival and dig it up later after you’ve slid past security.”

Any other useful Outside Lands tips and features I should know about?

Here are some other insider tips from KQED reporters:

If you are trying to see someone on the Polo Field, get there early. It gets very crowded quickly.
Sometimes artists hang out at the food trucks, talking to fans (and, if you are lucky, performing a quick song).
There is a sober tent available at Outside Lands for those who feel like they need someone to talk to among the partying.
You can get married at Outside Lands.

I can’t afford tickets — are there other related performances I can enjoy?

Yes, Outside Lands has several after-parties around San Francisco for which you can get tickets from Thursday through Sunday.

(Be sure to snag them quickly, because some are already sold out!)

There are some Outside Lands-adjacent parties throughout the city, including:

Sumyer of Love OSL Pre-Party at Curio at The Chapel
Electric Void: PreSideLands at Monarch SF
party 4 u – Charli XCX Tribute + Look-alike Contest at OASIS
DragsideLands Afterparty at OASIS
QUEEN OUT[SIDE LANDS] at Public Works
Outside Lands Friday and Saturday at MadaRae San Francisco
Outside Lands After Party at The Grand Nightclub
AFTER PARTY GIRL at The Great Northern
INSIDE LANDS at City Nights SF
Groove Lands: OSL Afters at Roxy’s
Parkside Boogie: OSL After Party at Chug Pub

[ad floatright]

KQED’s Gabe Meline, Nastia Voynovskaya and Carly Severn contributed to this story.

Elections 2026

The Bay

Emma’s Must-Sees

Videos from KQED Live

Donor-Advised Funds

On 88.5 FM in The Bay

Tonight on TV

Summer Guides

Today's Top Story

How We Get By: Inside KQED's Affordability Series