HARDLY STRICTLY BLUEGRASS Adds Miko Marks, Alison Brown to 2026 Lineup

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass (HSB) has announced new additions to its lineup for the 2026 edition in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, running Friday, October 2, to Sunday, October 4. The free festival, now in its 26th year, presents a wide array of top performers spanning many different genres.

The new additions to the lineup include Miko Marks, Alison Brown, Crosby Collective, Fantastic Cat, The Record Company, Tony Kamel & Kym Warner, Wreckless Strangers, Steve Poltz, The Third Mind and Martha Scanlan & Jon Neufeld. The lineup was teased with an exclusive medley that is now streaming on the official Hardly Strictly Bluegrass app and website. Additional performers will be announced soon.

'Hardly Strictly Bluegrass happens right across the bridge from me, as I live in Oakland, CA. It's been a longtime dream of mine to play HSB, and that dream came true in 2024!' says Miko Marks. 'My band and I are so excited to return, play, and spend the entire weekend with fans and friends—while making new ones along the way. I'm looking forward to connection, chatting with other artists and fans, slowing it all down and being present for what has been such a generous gift to the Bay Area for more than 25 years. See y'all soon, HSB!'

In July, the lineup kicked off with AJ Lee & Blue Summit, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Hiss Golden Messenger, Kathleen Edwards, My Morning Jacket, Old Crow Medicine Show, El Khat, Tyler Ballgame, William Tyler & Yasmin Williams, and John Craigie w/ The Coffis Brothers. Aaron Lee Tasjan, Darrell Scott String Band w/ Rob Ickes, Dug, Mama's Broke, A Tribute To Joe Ely with The Flatlanders and Friends, Alison Krauss & Union Station F: Jerry Douglas, Kam Franklin, Ismay, Jesse Welles, and Sierra Hull were announced in early August. The announcement of Los Lobos, Langford, Hogan & Timms, Mavis Staples, Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives, Bandits On The Run, Tift Merritt, Meels, Moonalice, Anna Moss, ¿Qiensave?, and Lukas Nelson quickly followed.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass will kick off its 2026 edition with a special festival eve benefit concert honoring singer and songwriter Steve Earle, who has performed at each edition of the San Francisco free music festival since HSB's second year in 2002. The tribute is set for Thursday, October 1 at The Masonic in San Francisco, CA.

'An Evening Honoring Steve Earle' will see the 3x GRAMMY Award-winner joined by some of his closest friends and collaborators including Buddy Miller, Cait O'Riordan, Elizabeth Cook, Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Jackson Browne, Joan Baez, Hot Tuna, Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams, members of Los Lobos, Lukas Nelson, Molly Tuttle, Peter Rowan, and other guests. Buddy Miller will serve as the show's musical director, with Reckless Kelly, featuring Greg Liesz as the backing band. Tickets for 'An Evening Honoring Steve Earle' are available.

The tradition of 'Out of the Park' concerts will continue this year, once again benefiting Sweet Relief, Bay Area Musicians' Fund. Many of the artists listed in the initial lineup will be performing nighttime shows at some of the Bay Area's favorite venues, including Gillian Welch & David Rawlings at The Fillmore, Molly Tuttle at the Bing Concert Hall at Stanford, Old Crow Medicine Show & Ismay at Sweetwater, Hiss Golden Messenger at The Little Saint (Healdsburg), and many more.

On September 13, 2026 at 4:00 pm, Book Passage in Corte Madera, CA hosts Tricia Hellman Gibbs, Avery Hellman of Ismay, and photographer Jay Blakesberg for a live musical performance and conversation with author Michael Shapiro to celebrate Hardly Strictly Bluegrass at 25: The Big Twang! — a photography and essay collection marking 25 years of San Francisco's free music festival in Golden Gate Park, with a foreword by Emmylou Harris and an afterword by Steve Earle. The book features Jay Blakesberg's photography alongside interviews and essays by Aidin Vaziri, Frances Dinkelspiel, Sylvie Simmons, and Tricia Hellman Gibbs. Admission is free with open seating, and copies of the book will be available for purchase with a signing line following the presentation.

Fourth Lineup Announcement

Miko Marks

Alison Brown

Crosby Collective

Fantastic Cat

The Record Company

Tony Kamel & Kym Warner

Wreckless Strangers

Steve Poltz

The Third Mind

Martha Scanlan & Jon Neufeld

Third Lineup Announcement

Los Lobos

Langford, Hogan & Timms

Mavis Staples

Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives

Bandits On The Run

Tift Merritt

Meels

Moonalice

Anna Moss

¿Qiensave?

Lukas Nelson

Second Lineup Announcement

Aaron Lee Tasjan

Darrell Scott String Band w/ Rob Ickes

Dug

Mama's Broke

A Tribute To Joe Ely with The Flatlanders and Friends

Alison Krauss & Union Station F: Jerry Douglas

Ismay

Kam Franklin

Jesse Welles

Sierra Hull

Initial Lineup

AJ Lee & Blue Summit

Gillian Welch & David Rawlings

Hiss Golden Messenger

Kathleen Edwards

My Morning Jacket

Old Crow Medicine Show

El Khat

Tyler Ballgame

William Tyler & Yasmin Williams

John Craigie w/ The Coffis Brothers

Additional artists to be announced.

Out Of The Park Concerts

Molly Tuttle - Bing Concert Hall Stanford - Sep. 28

AJ Lee & Blue Summit & Bandits on the Run - Sweetwater - Oct. 2

Gillian Welch & David Rawlings - The Fillmore - Oct. 2

John Craigie & Anna Moss - GAMH - Oct. 2

Tyler Ballgame - Café Du Nord - Oct. 2

El Khat - The Freight - Oct. 3

Old Crow Medicine Show & Ismay - Sweetwater - Oct. 3

Kathleen Edwards - The Guild - Oct. 4

Jimmie Dale Gilmore at Hopmonk (Novato) - Oct. 5

Hiss Golden Messenger - The Little Saint (Healdsburg) - Oct. 6

Photo Credit: Jay Blakesburg [Download Hi-Res Photo]

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