Golden Gate Park may host a second Outside Lands weekend

The Recreation and Parks Department is close to issuing a permit that would let Another Planet Entertainment add a second Outside Lands weekend and three free concerts in Golden Gate Park. The extension would build on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors’ July 22, 2025, approval of an amended proposal and could keep the Golden Gate Park Concerts series running through 2035.

For Richmond District and Sunset District residents, the issue is the footprint, not just the lineup. Outside Lands 2025 was scheduled for Aug. 8-10 at the park’s Polo Fields and was expected to draw about 75,000 people each day, a crowd size that the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency said would require expanded Muni service, taxi stands, passenger loading zones and bicycle parking.

The transportation strain has already become part of the debate. CBS News San Francisco said the summer concerts brought weeks-long road closures in and around Golden Gate Park, with the longest closures beginning on a Wednesday and lasting until Aug. 20. A second weekend would extend that pressure on nearby streets, parking and access to the park for people who live closest to it.

Another Planet Entertainment produces the concert series with the Recreation and Park Department, and city rules require special-event applications to be filed at least 60 days in advance and no more than one year ahead. The Golden Gate Park Concerts website also includes a Neighborhood 311 page for resident outreach, a sign that city officials know the permit is not just a booking decision but a recurring neighborhood issue.

Supporters can point to the three free concerts and to the broader financial upside of major shows in the park, while critics see a summer calendar that keeps expanding faster than the protections around it. Supervisor Connie Chan was the only no vote on the 2025 Board of Supervisors approval, underscoring how sharply the question still divides City Hall.