5 days ago
Series of concerts at San Francisco's Golden Gate Park draws music lovers despite traffic, noise complaints
While some neighbors in the Richmond District have complained about traffic and noise caused by concerts, it's a different story for those attending the events.
On Friday night, a series of August concerts wrapped up with headliner Zach Bryan performing at Golden Gate Park.
For three weekends in a row, people have been piling into Golden Gate Park to see their favorite music artists. This was Jenn Russo's second time coming to the venue this month and had a plan to avoid any parking issues.
"It wasn't too bad," said Russo. "I was here a couple of weeks ago for Dead and Company, and we took the shuttle in and out and they didn't have that shuttle going north this time. So, I enlisted my husband to drop us off. He's going to go to the movies, go have dinner and pick us up."
While Russo and her daughters made the drive from Healdsburg, two other people who are friends traveled a little farther to see Zach Bryan. It took them several hours to get there from Madera in the Central Valley.
"It was great," said Hudson Groh and Sam McPherson. "It was easy. We always love coming to the Bay. We love where we come from, though. We love living there with all the space and stuff. A lot different than the city that we are at right now, but making the trip is always fun. A road trip with your friends. Oh yeah."
There was a lot of traffic in the outer Richmond area the last few weekends, and one man named Nicholas, who only wanted to go by his first name, decided to cash in on the extra foot traffic. He set up a snack stand with his brothers. Business was slow before the show, but he's banking on selling out after the event.
"I think we'll get the most money in the way back when there's a lot of people," said Nicholas. "They are also really hungry then and thirsty."
While some neighbors have become annoyed with three straight weekends of music and visitors, some locals said they felt that overall, it's good for the city.
"I think it's amazing," said Yvette Corkrean from San Francisco. "I mean one, we want to bring people back to the city in a positive way. Last week's event was a little bit more for the youngsters and then this week it's for us older generation, but for everybody."
Those we talked to say they enjoyed this venue and like that more and more concerts have returned to Golden Gate Park. Russo, though, feels accessibility may be the one thing to keep it from becoming the "go-to" place for live music.
"I like it here," said Russo. "It's just the whole parking thing is a bit of an issue if you don't live here and know the MUNI and the buses and all the trains and stuff. So, that's the part that's a little challenging for us."
