Stern Grove Gets Ready for 69th Season
A beloved Bay Area tradition returns as the Stern Grove Festival celebrates its 69th season with 10 free concerts every Sunday from June 18 through Aug. 20. The concerts will be held at Sigmund Stern Grove, located at 19th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard, at 2 p.m.

Scheduled performances are:
• June 18, singer/songwriter Aimee Mann and Brazilian Seu Jorge take the stage for the first of this summer's performances;
• June 25, Malian blues duo Amadou & Mariam perform with the Otis Taylor Band;
• July 2, New Orleans brass ensemble Rebirth Brass Band and Zydeco musicians Geno Delafose and French Rockin' Boogie;
• July 9, an annual favorite, the Grammy-winning San Francisco Symphony, with conductor Edwin Outwater at the helm;
• July 16, Hawaiian vocal ensemble Makaha Sons and the San Francisco-based hula dance troupe Halau 'o Keikiali'I;
• July 23, soul and gospel singer Mavis Staples and roots music performer Jackie Greene;
• July 30, the San Francisco Opera hosts international opera stars Stephanie Blythe and Lawrence Brownlee;
• Aug. 6, the Spanish Harlem Orchestra plays classic salsa and Ska Cubano plays Cuban-rooted rhythms;
• Aug. 13, the San Francisco Ballet returns to Stern Grove in its only Bay Area summer appearance;
• Aug. 20, Latin hip-hop performer and Grammy winner Oxomatli and local hip-hop band Crown City Rockers end the lineup of summer concerts. Pre-concert talks with the performers, educational programs for children, and the opportunity to participate in blood drives prior to some concerts will also be available. The free concerts do not require tickets or advance reservations, but attendees are encouraged to arrive early for the best lawn seating.

For more information about the Stern Grove Festival, call (415) 252-6252 or visit the concert series Web site at www.sterngrove.org.