UPDATE: 8/20/2025: Today, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass has announced that Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Margaret Glaspy, Cimafunk, Paper Wings, Kaia Kater, BALTHVS and other acts will be performing at this year’s event.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass will kick off its landmark 25th anniversary celebration this year with a very special festival eve benefit concert honoring legendary singer and songwriter Emmylou Harris, who is the only artist to perform at each and every edition of the much beloved San Francisco free music festival.

Set for Thursday, October 2, at San Francisco, CA’s The Masonic, “A Tribute to Emmylou Harris & 25 Years of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass” will see the 14 time Grammy-winner joined by some of her closest friends and collaborators including Allison Russell, Albert Lee, Margo Price, Patty Griffin, Rodney Crowell, Rosanne Cash, Sam Bush, Shawn Colvin, Steve Earle and other guests.

All proceeds will benefit the foster-based, 501(c)3 nonprofit dog rescue organization Bonaparte’s Retreat. Tickets for “A Tribute to Emmylou Harris & 25 Years of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass” go onsale to the public on May 22. For more information, view tickets HERE.

Founded by Warren Hellman in 2001, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass marked the late financier/philanthropist’s gift to the City of San Francisco, offering a free outdoor festival in the historic Golden Gate Park to serve as an annual celebration of American music. Over the last quarter-century, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass has grown from a one-day local attraction to a world-renowned three-day festival.

Founded by Harris in 2004 following the passing of one of her own beloved dogs, Bonaparte’s Retreat focuses on the neglected and forgotten senior dogs, large dogs or dogs in need of imminent medical care or surgery, with a mission to love and care for these animals for as long as it takes to find their forever homes. To learn more, or to make a donation, please visit www.bonapartesretreat.org.

Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat