Grahame Lesh to perform a free concert at upcoming San Francisco music celebration

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has announced a new immersive Grateful Dead exhibition titled Forever Grateful, in Golden Gate Park. The presentation will transform the County Fair Building into a celebration of the band’s musical and artistic impact on the city’s cultural identity. The ticketed installation is scheduled to open on September 5 and run through October 25.

Opening weekend festivities will include a free concert by Grahame Lesh and Friends, led by the son of founding Grateful Dead member Phil Lesh. The performance will take place on Monday, September 7, in Robin Williams Meadow from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Grahame Lesh noted that the event honors the band’s history of free public music performances that began in the 1960s.

The exhibition is created by the Haight Street Art Center in partnership with the immersive performance company Third Rail Projects and the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department. Displays will feature rare memorabilia, multimedia installations, original artwork, and live actors interacting with visitors. The collection is physically anchored by Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters’ historic Furthur bus and Jerry Garcia’s personal BMW.

The upcoming launch follows a series of major entertainment and athletic events in the city, including the Super Bowl and six FIFA World Cup matches. Last year’s Summer of Music campaign, which featured a weekend of Dead and Company performances, generated over $150 million in local economic activity. Local officials are utilizing these cultural events to continue driving regional tourism.

The Golden Gate Park installation builds on an existing display currently on view at the Haight Street Art Center through September 20. That separate archive houses more than 400 paintings, photographs, instruments, and rare historical pieces documenting the band’s journey from 1965 to 1995. Tickets and operational information for the new park exhibition can be accessed through the art center’s website.

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