The Jerry Garcia Amphitheater is an outdoor concert venue located in McLaren Park in San Francisco, California,[2][3] opened in 1971.[1] Its maximum capacity (as of 2022) is 1,200 people.[1] It is named after Jerry Garcia of the rock band Grateful Dead,[1] and is the site of the annual Jerry Day event, at which various musical groups perform.[4]
History
The multi-purpose outdoor amphitheater was constructed in 1970 by the San Francisco Recreation Department and named the McLaren Park Amphitheater.[5]
In 1997, it was noted the amphitheater had not seen many shows, possibly because of the limited stage, storage facilities, dressing rooms, and parking.[6]
The first "Jerry Day" celebration on stage in the amphitheater was held in 2003.[citation needed] In July 2005, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Commission passed a resolution officially renaming the venue the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater.[7][8] Garcia had grown up in the nearby Excelsior District neighborhood not far from the park, at 87 Harrington Street.[8] The amphitheater was officially re-dedicated on 29 October 2005 during a ceremony featuring performances by Jefferson Starship, Jefferson Galactic Family Reunion, Mystery Cats, Grapefruit Ed Acoustic, The Little Wheels Band, Jerry Rigged, Michael John Ahern, David Gans and Ben Fong-Torres.[8]