A lot is different about Outside Lands this year. The music and arts festival kicks off its 11th edition on Aug. 10, when thousands of concertgoers will descend upon Golden Gate Park for three days of music, comedy, food, beer and art.
For one, the fest finally booked female headliners for the first time in its history: Florence + the Machine on Saturday and Janet Jackson on Sunday.
And in addition to its food and beverage offerings, this year’s edition will introduce Grass Lands, a town square-style showcase of Northern California’s cannabis offerings. (This is just to look and smell. You still can’t buy weed at the fest—sorry.)
Entertainment other than music is becoming more prominent at Outside Lands as well: The Barbary, its improv and comedy stage, stars Brooklyn Nine-Nine‘s Chelsea Peretti, as well as Michelle Wolf, the Daily Show contributor and nemesis of the Trump administration. And the Gastro Magic Stage, which is all about food, features outspoken Brooklyn chef and author Eddie Huang (whose memoir inspired the hit series Fresh Off the Boat) and Matty Matheson, whose Vice show makes him seem like an extremely entertaining dining companion.
While dressing for the cold and dusty terrain of Golden Gate Park and the struggle to find parking are givens (check out our Outside Lands survival guide), there’s another big change: this year, Outside Lands has introduced a clear bag policy. Word to the wise: either bring your PKW (that’s phone, keys and wallet) in your pockets, or invest in a clear backpack or purse from Amazon, Target or just about any school supply store. The clear bag policy is becoming a staple of other festivals, including June’s Clusterfest in Civic Center, so it will likely come in handy again.