Golden Gate Park Celebrates Grateful Dead’s Timeless Legacy at 60th Anniversary Show

SAN FRANCISCO – This weekend, August 1-3, Dead & Company will take the stage at Golden Gate Park’s Polo Fields for a monumental three-night concert series commemorating the Grateful Dead’s 60th anniversary.

The event, expected to draw 60,000 fans daily, is a tribute to the legendary jam band’s enduring musical legacy and a historic moment for the Cannabis community, as legal Cannabis sales and consumption will be featured for the first time at a Grateful Dead concert, courtesy of Humboldt Family Farms and the Grass Lands experience.

The Grateful Dead, formed in 1965 in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district, has long been intertwined with Cannabis culture and with their fans [affectionately known as Deadheads], embracing the plant as part of the band’s countercultural ethos. This weekend’s shows, featuring original Grateful Dead members Bob Weir and Mickey Hart alongside special guests Billy Strings (August 1), Sturgill Simpson (August 2), and Trey Anastasio Band (August 3), mark a cultural milestone. Grass Lands, a curated Cannabis marketplace and consumption lounge first introduced at Outside Lands in 2018, will bring legal, high-quality cannabis to the Polo Field, celebrating the region’s storied cannabis heritage.

Humboldt Family Farms, a collective of small, Sungrown Cannabis farms from California’s Emerald Triangle, is at the heart of this historic integration.

“Humboldt Family Farms is more than Cannabis; it’s a celebration of community, environmental stewardship, and the meticulous craft of Sungrown cultivation,” said Scott Vasterling, Founder of Humboldt Family Farms. “We’re honored to celebrate the legacy of this region with the fans attending these Golden Gate Park events. Now after 35 years and many shows later, I’m headed back with an amazing team August 1st through the 3rd – for Dead & Co.’s 60th anniversary and their return to SF’s Golden Gate Park.”

The inclusion of legal Cannabis at these concerts signifies a profound shift from the days when growers in Humboldt County hid their crops to avoid persecution. Today, these legacy farmers are stepping into the spotlight to share their craft with Deadheads and newcomers. Grass Lands will feature Humboldt Family Farms alongside other regional brands like Garcia Hand Picked, founded by Jerry Garcia’s daughter, Trixie, offering limited-edition pre-rolls. The area will also host a community drum circle, art exhibitions, and educational panels, creating a vibrant space for connection and celebration.

San Francisco is pulling out all the stops for this anniversary. The iconic Shakedown Street marketplace will line JFK Promenade with nearly 100 vendors selling tie-dye, tapestries, and other Deadhead staples. Muni is offering free rides to ticket holders, and a global livestream on nugs.net will bring the music to fans worldwide, with the final show on August 3 screening in select IMAX theaters. The city expects an economic boost, with hotel demand up 53% and an estimated $31 million in revenue, echoing the impact of Dead & Company’s 2023 Oracle Park shows.

For Cannabis enthusiasts and music lovers, this weekend is a can’t-miss opportunity to immerse in a historic fusion of music, community, and culture. As the Grateful Dead’s heritage reverberates throughout Golden Gate Park, Humboldt Family Farms and Grass Lands beckon fans to revel in the plant long cherished by Deadheads – now openly, legally, and with pride. Join the pilgrimage to San Francisco, where the spirit of the Summer of Love lives on, and the Cannabis community takes its rightful place in the sun.