Yerba Buena Gardens Festival Announces 24th Season Programming

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Over 100 Free Performances from May 4 to November 2

Yerba Buena Gardens Festival presents FREE music, theater, dance, cultural events in downtown SF.

APRIL

MAY

Featured
DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION
May 1
DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION

Wednesdays at Noon. Free RSVP encouraged, drop-ins are welcome.

PEDRITO MARTINEZ – SEASON KICK-OFF!
May 4
PEDRITO MARTINEZ – SEASON KICK-OFF!

Yerba Buena Gardens Festival’s 24th season kicks off with a sensational afternoon of Cuban soul.

DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION
May 8
DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION

Wednesdays at Noon. Free RSVP encouraged, drop-ins are welcome.

NEBLINAS DEL PACÍFICO
May 9
NEBLINAS DEL PACÍFICO

The African diaspora is a vast cultural archipelago, and in each community spiritual and communal necessities gave rise to music and dance traditions reflecting the realities of the landscape.

BALAKLAVA BLUES & KITKA: SONGS FOR UKRAINE
May 11
BALAKLAVA BLUES & KITKA: SONGS FOR UKRAINE

No Bay Area ensemble has forged deeper ties to Ukrainian musicians and composers than Kitka, the revered all-women vocal ensemble known for working with artists across Eastern Europe and the Balkans.

POETIC TUESDAYS WITH MOAD
May 14
POETIC TUESDAYS WITH MOAD

Sharing works that delight, provoke, inspire and rouse, the monthly Poetic Tuesdays series runs from May to October, turning lunchtime into an oasis of creative expression.

DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION
May 15
DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION

Wednesdays at Noon. Free RSVP encouraged, drop-ins are welcome.

QWANQWA
May 16
QWANQWA

A supergroup bringing together leading Ethiopian musicians from Addis Ababa’s fervently creative music scene, QWANQWA features Endris Hassen on the bowed, one-string masinko, Bubu Teklemariam on groove-driving bass krar, Misale Legesse on goat-skin kebero drum and incantatory vocals by Selamnesh Zemene.

CAAMFEST: DIRECTIONS IN SOUND
May 18
CAAMFEST: DIRECTIONS IN SOUND

CAAMFest returns for a renewed collaboration with Yerba Buena Gardens Festival. 

ISLANDS BY THE BAY FESTIVAL
May 19
ISLANDS BY THE BAY FESTIVAL

It’s island time! Celebrating the various cultures of the Asian Pacific islands, including Micronesia and Macaronesia,

PHER
May 19
PHER

Deeply versed in jazz and classic soul music, PHER is equally comfortable in both musical realms, and often brings the techniques and cadences of one idiom into the other.

DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION
May 22
DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION

Wednesdays at Noon. Free RSVP encouraged, drop-ins are welcome.

CO-LLAB CHOIR DIRECTED BY CAVA MENZIES
May 25
CO-LLAB CHOIR DIRECTED BY CAVA MENZIES

As the founder, director and guiding spirit of Oakland-based CO-LLAB, Cava Menzies has created a powerful vehicle for bringing musicians together for synergistic collaboration.

DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION
May 29
DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION

Wednesdays at Noon. Free RSVP encouraged, drop-ins are welcome.

COMMUNITY MUSIC CENTER NEIGHBORHOOD CHOIRS
May 30
COMMUNITY MUSIC CENTER NEIGHBORHOOD CHOIRS

In reclaiming the legacy of a Bay Area giant, Beth Wilmurt has uncovered a trove of long-forgotten songs by Malvina Reynolds, the San Francisco-born singer-songwriter devoted to environmental and human rights activism (1900-1978). Directed by Wilmurt, singers from four Community Music Center Neighborhood Choirs perform Reynolds’ songs, which address topics both serious and lighthearted with sturdy, unpretentious melodies.

JUNE

Featured
DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION
Jun 5
DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION

Wednesdays at Noon. Free RSVP encouraged, drop-ins are welcome.

RHYTHMALLOGY (KIDS’ SHOW)
Jun 7
RHYTHMALLOGY (KIDS’ SHOW)

Created and led by percussionist Aaron Kierbel, RhythmALLogy is an innovative interactive children’s program that involves movement, body percussion and group drumming.

DYERTRIBE: STEVE & BOKANI DYER + IZITHUNYWA FEAT. NDABO ZULU & LINDA SIKHAKHANE
Jun 8
DYERTRIBE: STEVE & BOKANI DYER + IZITHUNYWA FEAT. NDABO ZULU & LINDA SIKHAKHANE

Marking the 30th anniversary of South Africa’s first free, post-apartheid election, this double bill presents the perfect artists to celebrate the momentous occasion. 

POETIC TUESDAYS WITH MOAD
Jun 11
POETIC TUESDAYS WITH MOAD

Sharing works that delight, provoke, inspire and rouse, the monthly Poetic Tuesdays series runs from May to October, turning lunchtime into an oasis of creative expression.

DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION
Jun 12
DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION

Wednesdays at Noon. Free RSVP encouraged, drop-ins are welcome.

DARRELL GRANT & MJ NEW
Jun 13
DARRELL GRANT & MJ NEW

Decked out in bespoke tuxedos to perform an elegant fusion of state-of-the-art jazz and classical music in the world’s most august concert halls, the Modern Jazz Quartet set an unimpeachable musical and sartorial standard for 45 years (1952-1997). Led by Portland, Oregon piano master Darrell Grant, MJ New is a virtuoso quartet inspired by the MJQ’s chamber jazz aesthetic.

RAWDANCE: DRAWING ON A DECADE
Jun 14
RAWDANCE: DRAWING ON A DECADE

An award-winning contemporary dance company known for transforming theaters and public spaces, RAWdance celebrates its 20th year of mind-expanding, heart-opening performance, curation and collaboration, and a decade of creating site specific work at Yerba Buena Gardens.

NATIVE CONTEMPORARY ARTS FESTIVAL
Jun 16
NATIVE CONTEMPORARY ARTS FESTIVAL

A beloved Father’s Day tradition celebrating the creativity of North America’s indigenous peoples, the 26th annual Native Contemporary Arts Festival showcases a diverse array of Native music, dance, spoken word, visual artists, vendors and crafts. The program is curated by Janeen Antoine (Sicangu Lakota), American Indian Contemporary Arts’ founder and producer of the weekly KPFA 94.1 broadcast Bay Native Circle.

DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION
Jun 19
DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION

Wednesdays at Noon. Free RSVP encouraged, drop-ins are welcome.

CHRISTELLE DURANDY SANKTET
Jun 20
CHRISTELLE DURANDY SANKTET

A mesmerizing vocalist, Christelle Durandy has forged an Afro-Caribbean repertoire as intricate and multifarious as her own identity.

CIRCUS BELLA’S "WOW!"
Jun 21
CIRCUS BELLA’S "WOW!"

Circus Bella is a true Bay Area institution, and Yerba Buena Gardens Festival is the company’s home base.

DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION
Jun 26
DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION

Wednesdays at Noon. Free RSVP encouraged, drop-ins are welcome.

THE ALAYA PROJECT
Jun 27
THE ALAYA PROJECT

Indian-American percussionist and composer Rohan Krishnamurthy has staked out fertile soil where ancient Carnatic musical forms flow into the improvisational fields of jazz.

CALVIN KAI KU (KIDS’ SHOW)
Jun 28
CALVIN KAI KU (KIDS’ SHOW)

In a world dominated by electronic devices, it’s easy to lose a sense of wonder. Illusionist, magician and consummate entertainer Calvin Kai Ku reconnects audiences with youthful amazement via enchanting magic and abundant laughter.

SF UKE JAM’S SUMMER UKE-SPLOSION
Jun 29
SF UKE JAM’S SUMMER UKE-SPLOSION

The ukulele is truly the people’s instrument, and SF Uke Jam is the Bay Area’s leading force bringing fans of the diminutive 4-string uke together.

JULY

Featured
RENÉ Y FAMILIA (KIDS’ SHOW)
Jun 14
RENÉ Y FAMILIA (KIDS’ SHOW)

Spanning three generations and an array of celebratory Latin American musical traditions, René y Familia is the latest gift from an iconic San Francisco musical clan.

DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION
Jul 3
DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION

Wednesdays at Noon. Free RSVP encouraged, drop-ins are welcome.

CHELLE! & FRIENDS (KIDS’ SHOW)
Jul 5
CHELLE! & FRIENDS (KIDS’ SHOW)

Led by New Orleans-native Michelle Jacques, a soul-steeped vocalist with a big, bold voice, Chelle! & Friends bring to the Gardens a family-friendly taste of the Crescent City, the cradle of so much essential American music.

GET FREE FESTIVAL
Jul 6
GET FREE FESTIVAL

After a week of euphoria, healing and celebration, the 5th Annual Get Free Festival culminates at Yerba Buena Gardens with Timing is Synchronicity, a playfully inventive interdisciplinary performance that intertwines street dance battle culture, live music, spoken word and improvisation.

POETIC TUESDAYS WITH MOAD
Jul 9
POETIC TUESDAYS WITH MOAD

Sharing works that delight, provoke, inspire and rouse, the monthly Poetic Tuesdays series runs from May to October, turning lunchtime into an oasis of creative expression.

DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION
Jul 10
DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION

Wednesdays at Noon. Free RSVP encouraged, drop-ins are welcome.

UZUMARU
Jul 11
UZUMARU

Yosakoi is often described as a traditional Japanese dance, but in a nation where there are nearly a dozen companies that have been performing for more than a thousand years it’s actually surprisingly modern.

KA-HON (KIDS’ SHOW)
Jul 12
KA-HON (KIDS’ SHOW)

What’s in that box, you ask? In the hands of Ka-Hon, a gentle spring shower, a flamenco troupe, a galloping stallion and a rumba circle.

YERBA BUENA GARDENS CHOREOFEST (DAY 1)
Jul 13
YERBA BUENA GARDENS CHOREOFEST (DAY 1)

A two-weekend festival of site-specific work, the Yerba Buena Gardens ChoreoFest showcases the extravagant creativity, diversity and vibrancy of the Bay Area dance scene.

DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION
Jul 17
DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION

Wednesdays at Noon. Free RSVP encouraged, drop-ins are welcome.

BATEY TAMBÓ
Jul 18
BATEY TAMBÓ

Oakland percussionist Denise Solís founded one of the first ever all-female ensembles devoted to the Afro-Indigenous Puerto Rican tradition of bomba, Las Bomberas de la Bahia, and she’s been drumming down barriers for women in the art form ever since. 

UNIQUE DERIQUE (KIDS’ SHOW)
Jul 19
UNIQUE DERIQUE (KIDS’ SHOW)

A beloved Bay Area institution, the Unique Derique is a prince among clowns, an internationally esteemed performer who has honed a singular blend of physical comedy and hambone body percussion.

YERBA BUENA GARDENS CHOREOFEST (DAY 2)
Jul 20
YERBA BUENA GARDENS CHOREOFEST (DAY 2)

A two-weekend festival of site-specific work, the Yerba Buena Gardens ChoreoFest showcases the extravagant creativity, diversity and vibrancy of the Bay Area dance scene.

DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION
Jul 24
DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION

Wednesdays at Noon. Free RSVP encouraged, drop-ins are welcome.

DESTANI WOLF
Jul 25
DESTANI WOLF

Wednesdays at Noon. Free RSVP encouraged, drop-ins are welcome.

COLOR YOUR MIND FESTIVAL
Jul 25
COLOR YOUR MIND FESTIVAL

Curated by visionary percussionist Sameer Gupta, this gathering of musicians expands the boundaries of Indian classical music into new and exciting territory.

DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION
Jul 31
DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION

Wednesdays at Noon. Free RSVP encouraged, drop-ins are welcome.

AUGUST

Featured
AFROSOLO ARTS FESTIVAL PRESENTS CHARLES UNGER
Aug 1
AFROSOLO ARTS FESTIVAL PRESENTS CHARLES UNGER

A charismatic saxophonist who’s built an ardent following with a series of extended residencies at leading Bay Area night spots, Charles Unger is an award-winning jazz artist, bandleader and composer.

ORQUESTA LA MODERNA TRADICIÓN
Aug 1
ORQUESTA LA MODERNA TRADICIÓN

Founded in 1996 as the West Coast’s first ensemble devoted to danzón, an insuperably elegant and foundational 19th century style of Afro-Cuban music and dance, Orquesta La Moderna Tradición is a charanga orchestra with strings, woodwinds and percussion.

CATERPILLAR PUPPETS (KIDS’ SHOW)
Aug 2
CATERPILLAR PUPPETS (KIDS’ SHOW)

Joe Leon’s Caterpillar Puppets don’t just entertain kids and parents. His eccentric menagerie draws audiences of all ages into seemingly familiar stories that take unexpected turns.

ANA TIJOUX + J NOA
Aug 3
ANA TIJOUX + J NOA

One of the most respected MCs in any language, Ana Tijoux has been winning over fans around the world since her debut ‘1977’ bubbled up from an underground sensation into mainstream recognition after being featured on the hit TV show ‘Breaking Bad’ and favorited by Radiohead’s Thom Yorke.

SAN FRANCISCO MIME TROUPE
Aug 4
SAN FRANCISCO MIME TROUPE

Fasten your seatbelts for another wild yet thought-provoking ride with the world-renowned San Francisco Mime Troupe (SFMT).

DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION
Aug 7
DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION

Wednesdays at Noon. Free RSVP encouraged, drop-ins are welcome.

AUDIOPHARMACY
Aug 8
AUDIOPHARMACY

More than a world hip-hop ensemble, Audiopharmacy is a community arts collective dedicated to the proposition that love, music and deeply rooted cultural expression are the path to collective liberation.

PISTAHAN
Aug 10
PISTAHAN

Celebrating Filipino and Filipino-American arts and culture, the annual Pistahan features 2 days of art pavilions and stages highlighting contemporary and traditional music, dance, art, crafts, cuisine and artifacts.

POETIC TUESDAYS WITH MOAD
Aug 13
POETIC TUESDAYS WITH MOAD

Sharing works that delight, provoke, inspire and rouse, the monthly Poetic Tuesdays series runs from May to October, turning lunchtime into an oasis of creative expression.

DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION
Aug 14
DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION

Wednesdays at Noon. Free RSVP encouraged, drop-ins are welcome.

BRAZIL IN THE GARDENS: ALESSANDRO PENEZZI & FABIANA COZZA
Aug 14
BRAZIL IN THE GARDENS: ALESSANDRO PENEZZI & FABIANA COZZA

Every year some of Brazil’s greatest musicians gather in the redwoods of Cazadero for California Brazil Camp, and every year several faculty members venture down to the Gardens to share their mesmerizing music.

YBGF SEED FESTIVAL
Aug 17
YBGF SEED FESTIVAL

First conceived for YBG Festival’s 20th Anniversary celebration in 2020 as 20 artist commissions, the YBG Festival Seed Commissions program quickly evolved to address the acute needs of Bay Area artists during the pandemic.

DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION
Aug 21
DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION

Wednesdays at Noon. Free RSVP encouraged, drop-ins are welcome.

MAE POWELL
Aug 22
MAE POWELL

A winsome singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who has cultivated a joyously effervescent body of music, Mae Powell has been spreading joy on the Bay Area music scene since 2016.

DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION
Aug 28
DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION

Wednesdays at Noon. Free RSVP encouraged, drop-ins are welcome.

FOLEADA
Aug 29
FOLEADA

Adriana Giordano was born in Porto Alegre, one of Brazil’s southernmost cities, and raised in São Paolo, but she’s devoted to the style known as forró, working class dance music from Brazil’s sertão, the semi-arid northeastern interior. 

MEKLIT’S MOVEMENT IMMIGRANT ORCHESTRA
Aug 31
MEKLIT’S MOVEMENT IMMIGRANT ORCHESTRA

12 musicians. 10 countries. 1 concert.

SEPTEMBER

Featured
DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION
Sep 4
DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION

Wednesdays at Noon. Free RSVP encouraged, drop-ins are welcome.

QUINTETO LATINO
Sep 5
QUINTETO LATINO

A wind quintet with a powerful mission, Quinteto Latino is a singular Bay Area-based chamber ensemble devoted to breaking down the racial and social barriers that have long plagued the classical music world.

JESÚS DÍAZ Y SU QBA
Sep 5
JESÚS DÍAZ Y SU QBA

When it comes to Afro-Cuban percussion, Jesús Díaz is Bay Area royalty.

AFRICAN ARTS FESTIVAL
Sep 7
AFRICAN ARTS FESTIVAL

The 5th Annual African Arts Festival celebrates the glorious diversity and extraordinary creativity of the continent’s peoples. 

AMERICAN BON DANCING
Sep 8
AMERICAN BON DANCING

A joyous celebration of departed ancestors, Bon is a Japanese Buddhist festival that’s been observed for more than five centuries with a traditional folk dance known as Bon-Odori.

POETIC TUESDAYS WITH MOAD
Sep 10
POETIC TUESDAYS WITH MOAD

Sharing works that delight, provoke, inspire and rouse, the monthly Poetic Tuesdays series runs from May to October, turning lunchtime into an oasis of creative expression.

DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION
Sep 11
DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION

Wednesdays at Noon. Free RSVP encouraged, drop-ins are welcome.

DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION
Sep 18
DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION

Wednesdays at Noon. Free RSVP encouraged, drop-ins are welcome.

DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION
Sep 25
DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION

Wednesdays at Noon. Free RSVP encouraged, drop-ins are welcome.

SPIROLOGY
Sep 26
SPIROLOGY

Bay Area percussion maestro Michael Spiro, a 10-time Grammy Award nominee, created Spirology as a vehicle to explore the relationship between Afro-Cuban folkloric music and Cuban popular music.

YBG DANCE DAY
Sep 28
YBG DANCE DAY

Everybody dance now! Yerba Buena Gardens Festival and Rhythm & Motion present the 3rd annual YBG Dance Day, transforming the Gardens into an outdoor dance studio where participants can sample a variety of art form’s traditions and styles with some of the Bay Area’s most talented teachers.

OCTOBER

Featured
DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION
Oct 2
DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION

Wednesdays at Noon. Free RSVP encouraged, drop-ins are welcome.

THE CHRIS TRINIDAD COLLECTIVE
Oct 3
THE CHRIS TRINIDAD COLLECTIVE

Since moving to the Bay Area in 2009, Chris Trinidad has become a vital voice on the Asian-American jazz scene. Originally from Vancouver, the Filipino-Canadian musician, teacher, multi-instrumentalist and scholar has honed a wide-open aesthetic shaped by his love of jazz, his embracing spirituality and his insistent curiosity about fellow humans.

OUIDA + IAN SANTILLANO
Oct 3
OUIDA + IAN SANTILLANO

A rising force on the Bay Area music scene, Filipino and Irish-American singer-songwriter Ouida (pronounced “wee-duh”) has quickly gained international attention.

AGUA PURA
Oct 3
AGUA PURA

After years of showing up to salsa and Latin jazz gigs only to find herself the only woman in the band, conguera and vocalist Rebecca Rodríguez decided she needed to take measures into her own hands. Born out of a desire to highlight the Bay Area’s deep pool of female talent, Agua Pura is an acclaimed all-femme salsa combo known for interpreting classic cuts by the likes of the Fania All-Stars and El Gran Combo with authority.

POETIC TUESDAYS WITH MOAD
Oct 8
POETIC TUESDAYS WITH MOAD

Sharing works that delight, provoke, inspire and rouse, the monthly Poetic Tuesdays series runs from May to October, turning lunchtime into an oasis of creative expression.

DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION
Oct 9
DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION

Wednesdays at Noon. Free RSVP encouraged, drop-ins are welcome.

ROJAI & THE POCKET
Oct 10
ROJAI & THE POCKET

Probably best known as leader and vocalist for the acclaimed Latin-reggae outfit Bayonics, Rojai (aka Jairo Vargas) is a charismatic frontman who brings soul-steeped authority to every setting.

SAN FRANCISCO’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ DAY
Oct 14
SAN FRANCISCO’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ DAY

Join us in celebration of San Francisco Indigenous Peoples Day at Yerba Buena Gardens with Native American art, music and vendors.

DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION
Oct 16
DANCE OUTDOORS WITH RHYTHM & MOTION

Wednesdays at Noon. Free RSVP encouraged, drop-ins are welcome.