The Outer Sunset District of San Francisco celebrated its eighth annual free music festival this past weekend amidst chilly weather, with lots of warm neighborhood love for the whole family.
The event took place between 45th and 47th avenues on Noriega Street and was sponsored by the Outer Noriega Merchants Association, an organized group of the stores on outer Noriega, funded by the SFDA Neighborhood Justice Fund. They throw the music festival, formerly known as the Outer Noriega Street Fair, every year to generate business on the street and a sense of community in the foggy Ocean Beach neighborhood.
“It was rad. It was pretty busy, given how many other events are on in and around the city,” said Aly Gold, a former SF State student who currently works at the local boutique Establish, a lifestyle store between 45th and 46th avenues on Noriega, and is a resident of the Outer Sunset. This wasn’t Gold’s first time working Ocean Beach Music Festival and said the attendance is always perfect.
People were encouraged to bring their children and pets to the festival, which was sandwiched between two stages featuring various local music acts and had an atmosphere abuzz with excitement and family fun. P to the festival. The local shops that line the street set up tents and booths in front of their stores, and local restaurants cooked up a varied selection of festival food, including fish and chips, baked goods, pizza, acai bowls and fried chicken sandwiches. The organizers held a silent auction to raise money for next year’s event.
The event has evolved since its inception in 2010 to feature more music and vendors. It has become one of the staple events of the fall season in the Outer Sunset, with residents and businesses looking forward to the bustling event every year.
Though to some, the event didn’t seem as loud as previous years.
“It was less people and a little less drinking, so everybody had a really good time,” said Sean Anomie, who has volunteered for the festival the past four years, noting that the overcast weather makes everyone a little calmer. “This year was nice and orderly.”
It was a good turn out for the pop-up merchants at the festival as well, as the festival’s strong attendance and the mixed crowd brought a lot of business. Two blocks of the typically sleepy and cloudy Outer Sunset were packed Saturday afternoon with people from the neighborhood and around the city, sipping on draft beer and munching on street food.
“It was better than we thought,” said Keith Copas,owner of a pop-up record and CD stand.
The event was geared to families, with activities for kids, including a pumpkin patch (which turned into a pumpkin smash by the end of the day to get rid of the extra pumpkins), and a cluster of food trucks. The music featured ranged from EDM to reggae, with a full range of acts to cater to everyone’s musical preference.
