Hardly Strictly Bluegrass

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, previously Strictly Bluegrass, or HSB for short, is an annual free music festival held in the first weekend of October on Speedway Meadow in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. From its outset, the festival has been subsidized by San Francisco venture capitalist Warren Hellman. The first festival was held in 2001, originally only inviting bluegrass musicians. By 2003 artists from other genres were invited and the "Hardly" was added to reflect the expanded scope. Performing artists include (first appearance noted in parentheses): Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, (both 2001); Steve Earle, Jimmie Dale Gilmore (all 2002); Willie Nelson, Joe Ely, Old Crow Medicine Show, Gillian Welch (all 2003); John Prine, Robert Earl Keen, Ralph Stanley, Del McCoury (all 2004); Roseanne Cash, Joan Baez (both 2005); Billy Bragg, Richard Thompson, Elvis Costello, T-Bone Burnett (all 2006); Los Lobos, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones (both 2007).