Article Contributed by Denise Lamott
Published on 2026-06-08
Sound Summit, the daylong festival atop Mount Tamalpais that has brought exceptional music to the mountain and Bay Area community alike for more than a decade, returns to the historic Mountain Theater on Saturday, September 12. Headlining this year’s festival is cinematic folk-rock troubadour Father John Misty, performing with his full band. Joining the lineup are beloved harmony-driven indie rockers Guster, Talking Heads co-founder and new wave visionary Jerry Harrison and his 50 Years of Talking Heads project, dreamy surf-noir psych-rockers La Luz, and irresistible Bay Area funk ensemble Angeline Saris & The Snack Machine.
Tickets go on sale Friday, June 12 at 10:00 a.m. PDT at SoundSummit.net.
Staged at the historic 4,000-seat Mountain Theater atop Mount Tamalpais, Sound Summit combines world-class music with a mission to support and preserve the mountain’s natural resources. Produced annually by Roots & Branches Conservancy, the festival has raised more than $300,000 over the past decade for Mount Tamalpais State Park, helping fund trail restoration, historic preservation, fire prevention, water conservation, visitor services, emergency preparedness, and other vital park initiatives.
“Staging the event in this remarkable perch high above the Bay each year is a continually nourishing adventure,” says Sound Summit founder and festival producer Michael Nash. “I’m always impressed by our spirited crowd who makes their way up the mountain for a day unlike anything down on the ground. And there’s an unspoken but tangible sense of camaraderie among everyone for having done so.”
“Five years ago, Father John Misty graced Sound Summit with an intimate acoustic set, and we’re psyched to have him back this year with his full electric band, along with the eclectic array of other acts on the bill. All told, we have a great party in store with the best views in town.”
Sound Summit is excited to welcome back perennial emcees Brian Murphy and Paul McCaffrey, longtime KNBR radio duo known as Murph & Mac from 2006 to 2023, and Tim Lynch, host of KPFA’s Dead to the World. Andy Cabic of Vetiver returns as the all-day DJ, spinning tunes and setting the vibe between sets.
Past Sound Summits have featured legendary performances by Wilco, Lord Huron, The War On Drugs, Sierra Ferrell, Bob Weir & Phil Lesh, Herbie Hancock, Taj Mahal, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Courtney Barnett, Kurt Vile & The Violators, Grace Potter, Cake, Lukas Nelson and the Promise of the Real, Jim James, Alvvays, Los Lobos, Dr. John & The Night Trippers, Kevin Morby, Real Estate, and many more.
EVENT INFORMATION
What: Sound Summit
When: Saturday, September 12, 2026
Gates: 10:30 a.m.
Music: 11:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Where: The historic Mountain Theater
East Ridgecrest Blvd
Mount Tamalpais State Park
Lineup
Father John Misty — full band
Guster
Jerry Harrison’s 50 Years of Talking Heads
La Luz
Angeline Saris & The Snack Machine
Tickets & Info
Tickets on sale June 12 at 10:00 a.m. via SoundSummit.net
Adults: $149.50
Youth 12 and under: $74.75
Children 2 and under: Free
Reserved Mountain Parking: $75
Round-Trip Shuttle from Mill Valley: $35
Visit SoundSummit.net for transportation options and full event info.
About Roots & Branches Conservancy:
Roots & Branches Conservancy is a San Francisco Bay Area-based non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of natural resources, both physical and cultural. The broad arc of its mission ranges from regional environmental and educational work to the preservation and evolution of artistic and cultural traditions – musical, visual, narrative, and beyond. Wherever possible, Roots & Branches Conservancy aims to create intersections between the environment, education, and the arts to their mutual benefit.
Towards those ends, its interests lie in producing resonant community experiences in its events, providing educational components in its programming, and making meaningful contributions to worthy beneficiaries.
Roots & Branches Conservancy was born in the context of drastic cuts in the California State Parks budget and its belief in the power of art and community to gather force for a good cause.
