Hardly Strictly Bluegrass has expanded its 2026 lineup with another wave of acclaimed Americana, bluegrass, folk, and roots artists ahead of its return to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park on October 2 through October 4. Now in its 26th year, the beloved free three-day music festival continues its tradition of assembling one of the country’s most diverse roots music lineups while honoring the artists who have helped define its legacy.
The latest lineup announcement adds Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Darrell Scott String Band with Rob Ickes, Sierra Hull, Jesse Welles, Kam Franklin, Ismay, Dug, Mama’s Broke, and A Tribute to Joe Ely featuring The Flatlanders and Friends. The new additions join an already impressive first announcement that included My Morning Jacket, Old Crow Medicine Show, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, AJ Lee & Blue Summit, Hiss Golden Messenger, Kathleen Edwards, El Khat, Tyler Ballgame, William Tyler & Yasmin Williams, and John Craigie with The Coffis Brothers. Festival organizers have confirmed that additional performers will be announced in the coming weeks.
The 2026 festival also begins with one of its most significant special events to date. On Thursday, October 1, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass will present An Evening Honoring Steve Earle at The Masonic in San Francisco, celebrating one of the festival’s most enduring artists. Earle has appeared at every edition of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass since 2002, making him one of the event’s defining performers.
The tribute concert will feature Steve Earle alongside an all-star lineup including Emmylou Harris, Jackson Browne, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Buddy Miller, Elizabeth Cook, Hot Tuna, Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams, Molly Tuttle, Shawn Camp, Stacey Earle, and Victoria Williams. Buddy Miller will serve as musical director, while Reckless Kelly, joined by Greg Leisz, will provide backing throughout the evening.
Festival Executive Director John Caldon said this year’s lineup continues the celebration that began during Hardly Strictly Bluegrass’ 25th anniversary in 2025, bringing back longtime festival favorites while recognizing artists who have become central to the event’s identity over the past quarter century.
Beyond the main festival, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass will once again present its popular Out of the Park concert series, extending the celebration across the Bay Area while supporting Sweet Relief’s Bay Area Musicians’ Fund. Highlights include Gillian Welch & David Rawlings at The Fillmore, Molly Tuttle at Stanford’s Bing Concert Hall, Old Crow Medicine Show with Ismay at Sweetwater Music Hall, Hiss Golden Messenger at The Little Saint in Healdsburg, Kathleen Edwards at The Guild Theatre, and additional performances throughout the region.
Since launching in 2001, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass has become one of San Francisco’s signature cultural events, drawing hundreds of thousands of fans annually while remaining completely free to attend. Originally rooted in bluegrass, the festival has steadily expanded into Americana, folk, country, indie rock, singer-songwriter traditions, and global roots music without losing the community spirit that has made it one of the nation’s most celebrated music festivals.
With another lineup announcement still to come, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2026 is shaping up to be one of the festival’s strongest editions yet, pairing legendary returning performers with emerging voices for another unforgettable weekend in Golden Gate Park.
Featured image credit: Alison Krauss Instagram/@buford.pdf
