Outside Lands Draws Thousands to Golden Gate Park After COVID Hiatus

By Casey Michie

cmichie1@mail.ccsf.edu

 

After a two year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, thousands of festival goers descended upon San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park for the return of Outside Lands music festival.

The sold out three day festival, coinciding this year with Halloween weekend, brought an estimated 74,000 daily attendees to the festival grounds and streets of San Francisco, a boon to local businesses who rely on tourism that has waned due to the pandemic. 

Along with musical acts the festival also included art installations, an array of local food vendors, and the first ever curated cannabis experience at a festival in the United States. Headliners included The Strokes, Lizzo, and Tame Impala. 

“That’s a wrap on the first Outside Lands weekend in two years!” San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department tweeted at the conclusion of the festival, “We’re so proud to host this eco-friendly event in our biggest park. Thank you to [the organizers], the performers, and the many workers who made this possible.” 

Organizers are planning next year’s return of Outside Lands to take place during its traditional summer showing, with current dates set for August 5-7 of 2022.