Preview: Outside Lands 2025
REVIEW
REVIEW
☆ BY ELIJAH CLOWER ☆
Outside Lands is back for its 17th edition and most would say bigger than ever! Turning San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park into a three-day celebration of music, food, art, and Bay Area spirit. This August, with over 100 performances scheduled, this is looking to be one of the most diverse and stacked lineups in recent years.
Headlining this year are Tyler, the Creator, Doja Cat, and Hozier, a trio that covers everything from boundary-pushing rap to soulful indie and chart-topping pop. Tyler, restoring last year’s no-show, dropped his surprise album Don't Tap the Glass on July 21, and fans are buzzing about the possibility of hearing it live. The rest of the lineup reads like a Bay-to-global who’s-who: Anderson .Paak & Free Nationals, Vampire Weekend, Glass Animals, Jamie xx, Gracie Abrams, Gesaffelstein, Ludacris, Jorja Smith, Doechii, Finneas, and many more from the local and international scenes.
As always Outside Lands isn’t just about the performances - it’s about the full-on festival ecosystem. Expect pop-up art installations, eco-conscious setups in Eco Lands, comfort and cannabis lounges in Grass Lands, and seriously indulgent bites at Taste of the Bay Area food vendors (hello, caviar fries and wagyu quesabirria). This is the fest that feels like an ode to San Francisco—air-tight locally sourced eats, quirky activities, and of course, Karl the Fog rolling overhead come late afternoon.
New Stage: Duboce Triangle
Meet Duboce Triangle, Outside Lands’ brand-new hidden gem tucked into McLaren Pass under the eucalyptus canopy. Named after one of SF’s most iconic neighborhoods, this stage feels like discovering a secret garden inside the festival. It's all about up-close, intimate sets from over a dozen acts, including Mayer Hawthorne, Kate Bollinger, INJI, Electric Feels, The Emo Night Tour, and more. Without the roar of the main stages nearby, it’s a mellow, shaded oasis, a solid B-Side moment that adds depth to the giant headline energy.
More than just a performance spot, Duboce Triangle is the first Outside Lands stage to include a fan open-mic. Hosted by Bay Area’s own Rainbow Girls, every afternoon kicks off with a new local voice chosen via video auditions. It’s a perfect nod to homegrown music culture, and an opportunity for a festivalgoer to step into the spotlight. Whether you’re watching indie soul, enjoying nostalgic karaoke vibes, or discovering emerging Bay artists, Duboce Triangle brings texture and surprise to the festival flow.
Don't Forget the Night Shows
When the main stages dim at Golden Gate Park, your Outside Lands weekend isn’t over—it just shifts venues. Between August 3 and 10, 2025, the Night Shows extend festival vibes into the late hours across seven intimate Bay Area venues. You’ll catch 13 performances from standout acts like Floating Points (Live), Thundercat, Still Woozy, Fujii Kaze, BLOND:ISH, Black Coffee, Hope Tala & Luna Li, and more—each offering a different kind of energy from their daytime sets.
These shows are perfect if you missed a set, want a second round of a favorite artist, or just crave a more personal crowd vibe. Think Floating Points at Fox Theater Oakland on Aug 3, Still Woozy and Thundercat at The Independent mid-week, Fujii Kaze at Bimbo’s—the kind of handcrafted moments you don’t get at the main stages. Whether you have a Golden Gate Club pass or grabbed festival tickets early, there’s room for late-night magic beyond the park—and you’ll want it on your schedule.
Practical Notes & Festival Flow
Gates open daily at 11 a.m. and pack out by 10 p.m.—plenty of time to hop between seven stages representing genres from soul to techno. For groove lovers, the SOMA stage returns to Marx Meadow with open-air house and techno sets that’ll melt your toes beneath the canopy. The festival runs over park-wide closures, so plan ahead—bike parking, extra Muni service, and shuttle lines will handle most transit needs.
Outside Lands remains one of the best-run, most community-rooted festivals in the U.S. It’s equal parts high-caliber headliners and immersive storytelling. If you’re looking to experience music, food, art, and local culture under the iconic redwoods and fog, this tastes like homegrown SF at its finest—boozy concoctions, drag brunch rumors, and sonic moments you’ll want to relive the next day.
