The Hardly-Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park is truly a gracious and generous gift from its founder F. Warren Hellman (investment banker and banjo pick’n frontman from “The Wronglers”). Admission is free and is traditionally set for the first weekend of October, the dates have been set for Oct 2, 3, & 4, 2009. As the name implies, the festival is not strictly bluegrass. This years line-up includes; Earl Scruggs, Allen Toussaint, Aimee Mann, Dave Alvin & the Guilty Women, Richie Havens, Nick Lowe, Little Feat, Robert Earl Keen, Old Crow Medicine Show, Ricky Skaggs, The Knitters, Doc Watson & David Holt, Booker T. & the Drive-By Truckers, Lyle Lovett, Ralph Stanley, Boz Scaggs, Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3, The Flatlanders, The Del McCoury Band, John Prine, Billy Bragg, Steve Earle & the Bluegrass Dukes, Gillian Welch, Rodney Crowell, Emmylou Harris, Rosie Flores, Billy Joe Shaver, Steve Martin with the Steep Canyon Rangers, Mavis Staples (visit www.strictlybluegrass.com for the complete list).
Last year while attending the festival I couldn’t help noticing that the event was extremely wheel friendly despite the numbers that attended. I approached a few wheelchair users to get their opinions about maneuvering through the crowds. Their responses were similar as they related their experience of getting from stage to stage on spacious, paved paths and streets. Even when the foot traffic was heavier at times the crowds seemed to courteously step aside to allow wheelers traveling space.
The good people at Hardly-Strictly have planned well to be certain persons in our disabled community are accommodated. The festival planners have provided for up close and personal ADA seating areas at each stage with ADA bathroom facilities within the area. Simply approach the security guard monitoring the backstage and you will be escorted to the ADA area. Of course all seating areas are on a first come basis but I always noticed plenty of space in the ADA designated areas. There is also a limited amount of ADA parking located on Transverse Drive between JFK Drive and MLK Drive (see link to map below). These spaces are marked with signs and monitored. ADA placards must be visible at all times in the vehicle and are mandatory in order to use these spaces. If needed, there is a golf cart shuttle provided that runs from the top of JFK and Transverse all the way to 30th avenue. The golf cart shuttle runs from 8:30 am until 8:30 pm and is only for individuals who would otherwise find it difficult or impossible to get to their destination without this assistance. The shuttle drops off at each stage.
We look forward to seeing you at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass!
(For ADA Map click here: HSB 9 ADA Map v.1)