Get Your Grove On

It's the city's biggest communal picnic – and it happens for 10 consecutive Sundays every summer. The Stern Grove Festival celebrates the arts outdoors with free performances set among sprawling lawns and towering eucalyptus trees. The festival kicks off its 70th season next Sunday, June 17th, with Huey Lewis & the News, then showcases an eclectic line-up including jazz, opera, and ballet, not to mention world music from South Asia, Brazil and the Middle East. Make a day of your visit by bringing your own picnic (and drinks) and staking out a patch of lawn a few hours before the 2:00 p.m. start of the show. You can read, walk around the grove, laze in the sun and make new friends with your neighbors. It's a microcosm of San Francisco at its finest: great art in a gorgeous setting, a positive vibe, and a global mix of ages and races. Even if you've never heard of the performer when your guests are in town, just go!

All shows take place in the 33-acre Sigmund Stern Grove at the corner of 19th Ave. and Sloat Blvd. To get there, your best bet is to take public transportation, as parking in the area is very limited. More information.