Outside Lands kicks off 15th year with big names, big crowds in Golden Gate Park
SAN FRANCISCO -- Kendrick Lamar and Zedd closed out Night One of the Outside Lands Music Festival, now in its 15th year in San Francisco.
Seventy-five thousand music fans are expected to descend on Golden Gate Park for each day of the sold-out event.
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Hundreds of dancers let loose at Dolores' Stage. It's this year's newest addition -- a queer dance space featuring LGBT performers.
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Kaitlyn Ortega, who last attended Outside Lands a decade ago, flew in from Oregon for the occasion.
"It's comforting. There's one thing -- being here not in the last ten years -- it's nostalgic. It feels like home and the best thing about this park is how accepting everybody is."
Well-known and up-and-coming artists spread across multiple stages to entertain crowds over the three days.
The food and wine are among the biggest draws. There are about 100 Bay Area restaurants participating.
El Huarache Loco is one of the festival's veteran participants.
"My mom started selling out of our small apartment in the TenderNob -- what it's now called -- and then we started expanding into catering events, farmers markets. We landed at this festival in 2008," said Dayana Perez, who began helping her parents at Outside Lands when she was 10 years old.
For this family-run business, Outside Lands is their highest-sales weekend of the year and it's one of their favorite traditions.
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"This is actually the only music festival that we do. We've gotten requests to do other festivals like Coachella, BottleRock. But we're faithful to Outside Lands. I think it's just being part of the community," Perez said.
Outside Lands is the mood booster this city needs, according to residents Nancy Yeh and Kiki Lee.
"If you throw a party for people in San Francisco, we'll come," Lee said.
"We'll be there. I think it's great to gather people and bring good positive energy in any way, shape or form so it's a positive for our city," Yeh said.
Ortega noted that the festival is more eco-conscious than it was when she last attended. Her favorite part is a distinct scent.
"The smell of the eucalyptus trees. Honestly, it reminds me of home and I have goosebumps right now thinking about it," she said. "It's a really welcoming environment and I feel like everybody is just looking out for one another."
Outside Lands wraps on Sunday. Headliners this weekend include the Foo Fighters, Lana Del Rey and Odesza.