North America / USA / San Francisco

2018 Yerba Buena Gardens Festival (YBG Festival) proudly announces the lineup for its 18th Season.

The tradition continues to downtown in San Francisco! Hang out this new season with the first all-female mariachi ensemble, Mariachi Flor de Toloache + Mexican vocalist, composer, and guitarist Diana Gameros on Sunday, May 6 at 1:00pm, the first concert of this year’s 100 admission-free events.

The very popular series Let’s Go Salsa@Jessie also will have the best Latin artists, such as: “New Mambo Retro Salsa” group Cabanijazz Project on May 17, the nine-piece combo Bululú led by Venezuelan-born percussion master and vocalist Lali Mejia on June 21, the Bay Area’s inventive Cuban band Pellejo Seco on July 19, among many others. YGB Festival offers you entertainment FREE completely: music, theater, circus, dance, poetry & culture programs to children and entire family with artists from the Bay Area and International guests.

Named one of the Best Urban Green Spaces in North America by Local Medias, YGB Festival is a world-renowned cultural destination that offers three outdoor stages to performances for Bay Area residents, families, workers, and visitors alike. Yerba Buena Gardens Festival take place outdoors in Yerba Buena Gardens, off Mission Street between 3rd and 4th Streets, San Francisco.

YBG Festival Executive/Artistic Director Linda Lucero says, “Get inspired! Treat yourself and treat your family, friends, and co-workers to the most diverse performing arts experience in the Bay Area. Yerba Buena Gardens Festival is Free, Outdoors, and fresh!”

During these 6 months (May – October) YBG Festival includes the highly acclaimed Let’s Go Salsa@Jessie! Dance series, the family-friendly Children’s Garden Series, Poetic Tuesdays with Litquake, and Thursday Lunchtime Concerts.

Each and every week and weekend, the Festival presents a curated lineup of musicians, dancers, poets, and artists from around the world including the Moroccan trance music of Innov Gnawa with Book of J on May 12, northwestern Indian dance with Garba in the Gardens on May 19, the 2nd Annual Yerba Buena Gardens ChoreoFest on June 2 and 3, the most celebrated gamelan ensemble outside of Bali, Gamelan Sekar Jaya.

On June 9, powerhouse Afro-Venezeulan vocalist Betsayda Machado y La Parranda El Clavo with VNote Ensemble on June 16, three performances from Festival favorites Circus Bella on June 22 and 23, the all-women klezmer group direct from New York City Isle of Klezbos with San Francisco’s Fanfare Zambaleta on July 7, Ukulenny and Cynthia Lin’s SF Uke Jam Summer Uke-Splosion! 

On July 14, Cuban saxophonist Yosvany Terry Sextet on July 28, the 40th Anniversary performance of the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band on July 29, one of Vietnam’s most celebrated traditional artists Vân Ánh Võ & The VA’V on August 25, Manila Disco Fever on September 1, and the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival commissioned piece from Marcus Shelby Orchestra – Blackball: The Negro League and the Blues on September 8. The Festival closes with the 18th Annual Halloween Hoopla on Sunday, October 28.

The popular series Let’s Go Salsa@Jessie!, the open-air salsa dance party in Jessie Square (near the Contemporary Jewish Museum), takes place on the third Thursday of each month from May to September from 6:00pm – 7:30pm.

Performers are the ‘New Mambo Retro Salsa’ group Cabanijazz Project on May 17, the nine-piece combo Bululú led byVenezuelan-born percussion master and vocalist Lali Mejia on June 21, the Bay Area’s inventive Cuban band Pellejo Seco on July 19, the U.S. State Department-sponsored Latin Jazz Ambassadors and the Mission’s own Annette A. Aguilar & StringBeans on August 16, and Los Mocosos vocalist and master salsero Manny Martinez y la Rebeldia on September 20.

This Festival brings the delightful Children’s Garden Series features interactive performances specially designed for kids and families every Friday from June to August in the Yerba Buena Children’s Garden at Fourth and Howard Streets.

The series presents performances by kid favorites: the 2018 Grammy-nominated Alphabet Rockers, Non Stop Bhangra,Māhealani Uchiyama, Parangal Dance Company, Circus Bella, Unique Derique, Caterpillar Puppets, Chelle! & Friends, Pi Clowns, Red Panda Acrobats, Venezuelan Music Project, Crosspulse, and Ka-Hon. The series ends with the wildly popular 18th Annual Halloween Hoopla on Sunday, October ­28.

Between these 100 free performances in YBG Festival are Thursday Lunchtime Concert Series that take place most Thursdays from 12:30pm to 1:30pm and is a favorite destination of downtown workers, shoppers, tourists, and students.

This year features the very best of local and international musicians including New World String Project on May 10, Community Music Center Older Adult Choirs on May 17, Dogon Lights on May 24, Kitty Pak on May 31, Latin Jazz Youth Ensemble of San Francisco on June 7, the Swedish Consulate’s Jenny Lind Concert on June 21, Dalia & the Big Violin on June 28, Manring Kassin Burr on July 5, Maikaze Daiko on July 12, Solate on July 19, Sol Development with Mino Yanci on August 2,

LINES Dance Center on August 9, Highest Ani on August 16, Faun Fables on August 23, La Patronal on August 30, John Brothers Piano Company on September 6, Daniel Riera: Future Flutist with Electric Ensemble on October 4, and Rice Kings on October 11.

This amazing event also celebrates annually: the 21st Native Contemporary Arts Festival on June 17, the 18th Annual AfroSolo in the Gardens featuring a Tribute to Duke Ellington featuring Denise Perrier and Nina Causley with David Hardiman’s San Francisco All-Star Big Band on August 4, the 25th Annual Pistahan on August 11 and 12, and Brazil in the Gardens: Pragandaia with special guest Margareth Menezes on August 18.

Poetic Tuesdays on the second Tuesday of each month with Guest curated by Litquake, Poetic Tuesdays run from 12:30pm-1:30pm and feature an array of poets and music as well as three performances of a new one-ring circus from Circus Bella on June 22 and 23. Conceived and directed by Abigail Munn and Joel Baker for Circus Bella, the show includes static trapeze, rope walking, juggling, contortion, unicycle, original clowning, acrobatics, and more.

Let’s Go Salsa Series’ Schedule (Every Third Thursday of month from 6:00pm to 7:30pm):

• May 17: Cabanijazz Project
• June 21: Bululú
• July 19: Pellejo Seco
• August 16: Annette A. Aguilar & StringBeans
• September 20: Manny Martinez y la Rebeldia

Venue: 760 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94103.

For more information and complete 18th Season Schedule, please visit www.ybgfestival.org