Grateful Dead, the fabled band formed in Palo Alto during the mid-1960s, came to define the sound and spirit of the counterculture with their psychedelic, genre-defying mish-mash of rock, jazz, folk, and blues. Their singularly electrifying live performances, for which the group is now best known, practically codified the descriptor “jam band” thanks to meandering, improvisation-heavy renditions of their tracks.
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Helming the Grateful Dead as the vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter was San Francisco-born Jerry Garcia, a profoundly gifted instrumentalist who now occupies the status of myth in the minds of burnouts, up-and-coming guitarists, music geeks, and stoners.
Though Garcia passed away in 1995, the week of his August 1st birthday has become an unofficial holiday during which deadheads the world over congregate and appreciate Garcia’s contributions to rock music and the counterculture more generally. We’ve cobbled together an itinerary of some of the best ways to celebrate Jerry Week in the Bay Area, so slap a cassette in the boombox and prepare to awaken your inner deadhead.
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Catch a Show at the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater
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40 John F Shelley Dr
Garcia spent his childhood in San Francisco’s Excelsior neighborhood, which rests adjacent to McLaren Park and its Greek-style amphitheater named after the legend himself. Constructed in 1971 and named to commemorate the guitarist in 2005, the picturesque outdoor venue hosts a number of events and performances year-round and, on the Saturday of August 13, will feature free live music all day in recognition of Jerry Week.
Visit the Grateful Dead House
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710 Ashbury Street
Jerry and fellow Dead members spent roughly 2 years living in this modest Victorian dwelling nested in the heart of the famed Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. If you find yourself in the area, possibly hitting up some of our picks for the best bites and shops in Haight-Ashbury, be sure to carve out some time to visit this piece of living music history and pay homage.
Grab a Beer and Bites at Magnolia Brewing
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1398 Haight St / Website
One of the city’s first craft breweries, Magnolia was opened in 1997 by Dave McLean - a proud deadhead himself - and touts a robust assortment of domestic and imported IPAs and lagers as well as some delectable bar comfort fare (steamed mussels, fish n’ chips, barbecue ribs, etcetera). Be to sure stop by to refuel on your Jerry Week romp through Haight-Ashbury.
Experience Golden Gate Park’s Hippie Hill
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50 Bowling Green Dr
A lush, capacious lawn space in Golden Gate Park just a brief stroll from Haight-Ashbury, this hangout spot is the city’s go-to for bongo drum-playing and flower crown-making (hence the apt appellation Hippie Hill). In fact, almost 20,000 Grateful Dead loyalists flocked to Hippie Hill in 1995 after Garcia’s death to sing, dance, and honor the man himself.
See also: Historic Hippie Hill is Golden Gate Park's Enduring Peaceful Hangout Cove
Snag some Grateful Dead Vinyls at Amoeba Music
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1855 Haight St
Amoeba is one of the most iconic local record store chains, with only a handful of other locations scattered throughout California (including the original shop in Berkeley). Their San Francisco location sits in what used to be a bowling alley and touts all the beloved retro charm and musical rarities one would hope to find.
After a chill picnic on Hippie Hill, stroll over to Amoeba to check out the many original-print Grateful Dead posters adorning the store’s walls.
Peruse Liberty Cannabis and their Garcia Hand Picked Products
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2222 Bush St / Website
Liberty Cannabis is one the city’s premier dispensaries, so it is only logical that they’d offer strains from Garcia Hand Picked, one of the premier modern cannabis brands founded by members of the Garcia family themselves.
GHP’s eco-conscious approach honors the legacy and forward-thinking spirit of the counterculture Jerry helped to ignite, making their strains the ideal choice for a sesh on Hippie Hill or a set at the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater.
See also: The Best Instrument Shops In The SF Bay Area For Every Musician
Photography by: Leni Sinclair/Getty Images
