Article Contributed by Gratefulweb
Published on 2026-07-28
Jerry Week returns to the Bay Area August 1–9, celebrating the life, music, and enduring spirit of Jerry Garcia from the anniversary of his birth through the anniversary of his passing.
For Deadheads, the Days Between have become a time to gather, hear the music played live, revisit places connected to Garcia’s life, and share stories with friends. This year’s calendar includes concerts, community events, historic destinations, art, and celebrations throughout San Francisco, Berkeley, and Marin County.
The festivities begin before Garcia’s August 1 birthday with Dark Star Orchestra’s two-night return to Berkeley’s Greek Theatre on July 31 and August 1. Presented as a benefit for the Rex Foundation, the weekend will bring together Dark Star Orchestra, Melvin Seals & JGB, Peter Rowan, and Sam Grisman Project.
On Friday, July 31, Dark Star Orchestra will perform with Melvin Seals & JGB. The following evening, Garcia’s birthday, Peter Rowan and Sam Grisman Project will perform music from Old & In the Way and more before Dark Star Orchestra takes the stage.
Saturday, August 1, also marks the 24th annual Jerry Day at the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater in San Francisco’s McLaren Park. The free community celebration will feature Melvin Seals & JGB with Jazz Mafia, Stu Allen & Mars Hotel, and Spencer Krenz & Friends performing a Garcia and Grisman tribute.
The amphitheater sits near Garcia’s childhood neighborhood in the Excelsior District, making Jerry Day one of the most meaningful annual gatherings devoted to his legacy.
Visitors can continue through the neighborhood by stopping at the corner of Harrington and Mission streets, now honorarily named Jerry Garcia Street. Garcia spent part of his childhood at 87 Harrington Street and later reflected on those years in his memoir, Harrington Street.
Other historic San Francisco stops include 710 Ashbury Street, the Grateful Dead’s communal home from 1966 to 1968, and the Panhandle and Golden Gate Park, where the band performed free outdoor shows during the height of the city’s counterculture era. The Polo Field was also the site of the Human Be-In in January 1967.
Across the Golden Gate Bridge, Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley will host several events during the Days Between. The venue’s programming includes Big Brother & the Holding Company on August 1, Moonalice and Brian Melvin’s Grateful Jam on August 2, and First Tuesday Art Walk: All Things Jerry with Big Steve Parish on August 4 at 5:30 p.m.
Parish served for years as Garcia’s roadie and later managed the Jerry Garcia Band, making the gathering an opportunity to hear stories from someone who witnessed much of that history firsthand.
Sweetwater will continue the celebration on August 6 with See What Love Can Do, a tribute to the Jerry Garcia Band.
Fans attending Outside Lands in Golden Gate Park from August 7–9 can also explore the festival’s Grass Lands area, while others may simply choose to mark the week in the most traditional way possible: listening to Garcia’s music, gathering with friends, and keeping the songs moving forward.
However people choose to observe Jerry Week, the occasion remains rooted in music, friendship, discovery, and the community that continues to grow around Garcia’s work more than three decades after his passing.
