Zach Bryan in Golden Gate Park: Here’s What You Should Know for Friday’s Show

They say good things come in threes, and for San Francisco’s music lovers, Golden Gate Park’s trifecta of summer concerts has been solid proof.

Friday’s “revival” of the past two music-filled weekends is set to be headlined by country star Zach Bryan, who’ll be joined by the Kings of Leon, Turnpike Troubadours and Noeline Hoffman for a one-day show hosted by Another Planet Entertainment, the concert promoter behind Outside Lands.

The group launched its Concerts on the Polo Fields series last summer with a sold-out show by System of a Down and Deftones and has expanded this year, effectively shutting down Golden Gate Park to host Dead & Company, Outside Lands and Bryan on consecutive weekends.

Bryan’s appearance in San Francisco is one of few he’s making this year, after wrapping up the main portion of his nearly 40-city “Quittin’ Time” tour in December.

Last May, he played his first-ever stadium show in Oakland, gracing the Coliseum with his 2024 album “The Great American Bar Scene.”

This summer, he’s played shows across Europe with stops in London and Dublin, and is expected to hit a small selection of outdoor venues in the U.S. throughout August.

While after three nights of 60,000-person Dead & Company shows and last weekend’s blockbuster festival, concertgoers are likely feeling prepared — and maybe even a little tired — ahead of the grand finale, here’s what you should know before the show.

What time does the concert start?

The park’s doors will open at 1:30 p.m., and the first act is scheduled to come on around 3 p.m., though Bryan probably won’t hit the stage until hours later. People can start lining up for entry at 12:30 p.m.

The concert is set to end at 10:00 p.m.

Who’s performing, and when?

Another Entertainment hasn’t announced what order the bands opening for Bryan will play in, but Kings of Leon will almost certainly be last.

The rock band boasts a sizable audience of its own, with 22 million monthly listeners on Spotify and Top-100 hits like “Use Somebody” and “Sex on Fire.”

They’ve also been teasing two recent projects with Bryan: a feature on the country star’s newly-released single “Bowery,” and a snippet of an unreleased song featuring Bryan.

On Wednesday, the band posted an audio clip of the track on social media with the caption “we’re onto something (??)”

Canadian singer-songwriter Noeline Hoffman, who is also featured on a Bryan track, and the country rock band Turnpike Troubadours should get the crowd warmed up.

How should I get to the show?

Any way but your car.

Parking around the park is already limited, and will be reserved for neighbors during the show. The 5-Fulton and N-Judah Muni lines will offer free rides to ticketholders through their “Your Ticket, Your Fare” program, shuttling concertgoers from Ocean Beach and the Outer Richmond to Mission Bay and the Financial District.

There’s also drop-off points for rideshare services like Uber and Lyft, and options to purchase round-trip shuttle tickets to and from Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, the Cow Palace Park and Ride and even the State Capitol Park in Sacramento.

Bike parking is also available.

While there is a limited number of VIP parking passes, they require prior purchase and are sold out on Ticketmaster.

Entrances and Exits

Similar to the last few weekends, there’ll be set pathways in and out of the park.

You can access the North Main Gate Entrance on 30th and JFK Drive, though Muni riders will be dropped off on Fulton and walk into the park from there. The box office for tickets is east of the bus stop, just inside the park.

The South Gate is located at Middle Drive and Metson Road.

Anyone taking the shuttles home should exit through the south tunnel or south polo field exits after the show.

Those with VIP tickets have their own choice of quieter north and south entrances, on 36th and JFK Drive and MLK Jr. Drive, respectively. There’ll also be ADA access near the north VIP entrance.

What can, and can’t, I bring?

Clear backpacks and bags of any size are permitted, as well as small non-clear bags, like fanny packs and purses smaller than 6” x 8” x 3”. You can also bring in an empty hydration pack as long as its capacity is less than 2.5 liters or 150 inches. Reusable water bottles are recommended.

Camping chairs, stools and inflatables are not permitted, but a folding chair that doesn’t have legs or a telescoping stool can be brought in. Blankets are okay, so long as they don’t encroach on others’ space (and are smaller than 2’x3’).

You technically can bring cash, but credit and debit cards, or digital payment methods, can be used at all vendors in the park.

Glass, weapons, alcohol — and some fairly obvious items — are prohibited.

Tickets will be available at the box office beginning at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, or can still be purchased online.

Some of the park’s roads, including stretches of JFK Drive and Middle Drive, will be closed to all cars and pedestrians throughout the day. The Polo Field will remain shut down until Aug. 20.