Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2026 Adds Miko Marks and More

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass (HSB) has announced the fourth wave of artists for its 2026 edition, the free three-day festival returning to Golden Gate Park in San Francisco from October 2 to 4. The new additions include Miko Marks, Alison Brown, Crosby Collective, Fantastic Cat, The Record Company, Tony Kamel and Kym Warner, Wreckless Strangers, Steve Poltz, The Third Mind, and Martha Scanlan and Jon Neufeld. More artists are still to be announced.

Now in its 26th year, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass draws crowds across folk, roots, country, and Americana without a gate or a ticket price. The full lineup spans dozens of acts announced across four separate rounds since July.

Who Is Playing Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2026

The complete confirmed lineup as of September 2, 2026 covers all four announcement rounds:

Fourth announcement: Miko Marks, Alison Brown, Crosby Collective, Fantastic Cat, The Record Company, Tony Kamel and Kym Warner, Wreckless Strangers, Steve Poltz, The Third Mind, Martha Scanlan and Jon Neufeld

Third announcement: Los Lobos, Langford Hogan and Timms, Mavis Staples, Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives, Bandits On The Run, Tift Merritt, Meels, Moonalice, Anna Moss, Qiensave, Lukas Nelson

Second announcement: Aaron Lee Tasjan, Darrell Scott String Band featuring Rob Ickes, Dug, Mama's Broke, A Tribute To Joe Ely with The Flatlanders and Friends, Alison Krauss and Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas, Ismay, Kam Franklin, Jesse Welles, Sierra Hull

Initial lineup: AJ Lee and Blue Summit, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, Hiss Golden Messenger, Kathleen Edwards, My Morning Jacket, Old Crow Medicine Show, El Khat, Tyler Ballgame, William Tyler and Yasmin Williams, John Craigie with The Coffis Brothers

Miko Marks, who is based in Oakland, noted her history with the festival. "Hardly Strictly Bluegrass happens right across the bridge from me, as I live in Oakland, CA. It's been a longtime dream of mine to play HSB, and that dream came true in 2024!" she said in a statement. "My band and I are so excited to return, play, and spend the entire weekend with fans and friends, while making new ones along the way."

A lineup medley is currently streaming on the official Hardly Strictly Bluegrass app and website.

An Evening Honoring Steve Earle at The Masonic October 1

The festival opens with a benefit concert the night before the park dates begin. "An Evening Honoring Steve Earle" is scheduled for Thursday, October 1 at The Masonic in San Francisco. The show recognizes Earle, a three-time GRAMMY Award winner, who according to the release has performed at every HSB edition since the festival's second year in 2002.

The tribute will feature Buddy Miller, Cait O'Riordan, Elizabeth Cook, Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, Jackson Browne, Joan Baez, Hot Tuna, Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams, members of Los Lobos, Lukas Nelson, Molly Tuttle, Peter Rowan, Shawn Camp, Stacey Earle, and Victoria Williams. Buddy Miller serves as musical director. Reckless Kelly featuring Greg Liesz will serve as the backing band. Tickets are on sale now through the festival website.

Out of the Park Concerts and Venue Dates Around the Bay Area

HSB's "Out of the Park" series of ticketed nighttime shows at Bay Area venues continues this year, with proceeds benefiting Sweet Relief's Bay Area Musicians' Fund. The confirmed dates are:, Sep. 28 Molly Tuttle at Bing Concert Hall, Stanford, Oct. 2 AJ Lee and Blue Summit and Bandits On The Run at Sweetwater, Oct. 2 Gillian Welch and David Rawlings at The Fillmore, Oct. 2 John Craigie and Anna Moss at Great American Music Hall, Oct. 2 Tyler Ballgame at Café Du Nord, Oct. 3 El Khat at The Freight, Oct. 3 Old Crow Medicine Show and Ismay at Sweetwater, Oct. 4 Kathleen Edwards at The Guild, Oct. 5 Jimmie Dale Gilmore at Hopmonk, Novato, Oct. 6 Hiss Golden Messenger at The Little Saint, Healdsburg

On September 13 at 4:00 pm, Book Passage in Corte Madera hosts a free event celebrating the book Hardly Strictly Bluegrass at 25: The Big Twang! The photography and essay collection covers 25 years of the festival, with photography by Jay Blakesberg, a foreword by Emmylou Harris, and an afterword by Steve Earle. Festival co-founder Tricia Hellman Gibbs, Avery Hellman of Ismay, and photographer Blakesberg will join author Michael Shapiro for a live performance and conversation. Books will be available for purchase with a signing to follow. RSVP is open on the festival site.

What Independent Artists Can Take From HSB 2026

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass is one of the few major multi-day festivals in the country that runs entirely free to the public. The Out of the Park shows funnel revenue back to working musicians through Sweet Relief. For independent artists in the Americana and roots space, the festival is a case study in how a community-first model can sustain a 26-year run and still attract artists at every career level alongside household names. If you are performing in the Bay Area this fall, check our [events calendar](/events) for nearby opportunities, or [submit your own music](/submit) for coverage. Looking to connect with a broader audience? Head over to [Pass the Aux](/pass-the-aux) and put your sound in front of the community.