Freebies And Free Access Options At San Franciscos Outside Lands Music Festival

The Outside Lands Music Festival, held annually in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, offers numerous opportunities for attendees to experience the event through free or discounted options. This article explores the various freebies, promotional offers, and no-cost access methods available at the festival, including free listening areas, eco-friendly exchange programs, transportation incentives, and ticket giveaways.

Free Festival Access Options

For individuals who either missed out on purchasing tickets or prefer not to pay premium prices, Outside Lands provides the opportunity to enjoy parts of the festival without an admission ticket. Multiple sources confirm that attendees can listen to festival performances from outside the fenced areas of Golden Gate Park, creating a unique "outsider" experience.

The Spreckels Lake area, located at 36th Avenue and JFK Drive just north of the Polo Fields, is consistently highlighted as an ideal spot for free listening. According to festival guides, hundreds of people typically gather along the lake shores with picnic blankets to enjoy the music from the main stages. While visibility of the stages is limited from this vantage point, the sound quality is generally good when wind conditions are favorable, and the lake provides a scenic, relaxed setting for the experience.

This area has developed a reputation for having a family-friendly atmosphere, though sources note the presence of the "typical San Francisco smell of marijuana." For those planning to visit this free listening area, the recommended entry point to the park is at 25th Avenue and Fulton Street, which provides convenient access to the Spreckels Lake area.

The free listening option has become such an established part of the Outside Lands experience that some festival guides specifically recommend it as a legitimate way to enjoy the music without the high cost of admission. This approach allows attendees to create their own festival experience with a picnic, friends, and beverages while still being part of the broader Outside Lands community.

Eco-Friendly Freebies and Exchange Programs

Outside Lands distinguishes itself from other music festivals through its strong commitment to sustainability, offering several innovative eco-friendly programs that provide attendees with free or low-cost items while promoting environmental responsibility.

The TRASHed:: Recycling Store, sponsored by Global Inheritance, represents one of the most unique freebie opportunities at the festival. This interactive recycling center functions as an exchange program where attendees can trade recyclable materials collected on-site for various merchandise items. The program operates with strict guidelines, accepting only plastic bottles, aluminum cans, and compostable cups that have been collected within the festival grounds.

Based on the quantity of recyclables submitted, participants can "purchase" items ranging in value from:

• Outside Lands merchandise (including posters, water bottles, and t-shirts)
• Festival tickets for future years (specifically mentioned as 2011 tickets in one source)
• North Face outdoor gear (such as tents, sleeping bags, and jackets)

This program effectively transforms waste into a valuable currency, rewarding attendees for their environmental consciousness with tangible goods. The variety of available items ensures that participants with different interests can find something appealing, from festival memorabilia to practical outdoor equipment.

The festival also implements a comprehensive Refillable Water Program designed to significantly reduce plastic consumption. Attendees have multiple options for accessing water during the event:

1. Purchase a 2010 Outside Lands stainless steel water bottle, which entitles the owner to free refills of spring water throughout the entire festival duration. This option provides convenience and ensures access to hydration without single-use plastics.

2. Bring their own reusable water bottle from home and purchase refills at the festival. This choice appeals to environmentally conscious attendees who already own reusable containers.

3. For loyal festival attendees, the program offers an even more generous incentive: individuals who bring their 2008 or 2009 Outside Lands water bottles can drink for free all weekend long, regardless of the current year. This loyalty reward encourages both sustainability and repeat attendance, creating a connection between different festival iterations.

Beyond these specific programs, Outside Lands incorporates various environmental initiatives into its festival programming. These additional eco-friendly activities provide further value to attendees while promoting sustainability:

• Waste diversion programs that minimize the environmental impact of the large gathering
• Urban gardening workshops that educate attendees about sustainable food production
• Cell phone recycling stations that properly dispose of electronic waste
• Morning beach cleanups that allow attendees to contribute to environmental conservation before the festival day begins

These complementary activities enhance the festival experience for environmentally conscious attendees and provide educational opportunities alongside the musical performances.

Transportation and Parking Freebies

Outside Lands addresses the significant logistical challenges of attending the large-scale festival through several complimentary transportation options that eliminate parking costs and reduce the environmental impact of attendee travel.

Valet Bike Parking represents one of the most convenient free services offered at the festival. In partnership with the San Francisco Bike Coalition and Clif Bar, Outside Lands provides complimentary valet bike parking at Marx Meadow in Golden Gate Park. This professional service allows attendees to arrive by bicycle and leave it with trained staff, eliminating the stress, time, and expense associated with driving, finding parking, and navigating traffic. The festival further supports this eco-friendly option by providing additional bike racks for those who prefer to use their own locks rather than the valet service.

This bicycle-friendly approach not only saves attendees money but also significantly reduces the festival's carbon footprint. By encouraging non-motorized transportation, Outside Lands demonstrates its commitment to sustainability while providing a practical solution to one of the biggest challenges of attending large events in urban areas.

Public Transportation Subsidies represent another important free access point for the festival. The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system has occasionally provided opportunities for free festival tickets through contests on their website (www.mybart.org). During at least one festival iteration, entries were accepted through a specific deadline (August 9 in one example), with winners receiving complimentary admission to the event.

This partnership between public transit and the festival encourages the use of sustainable transportation methods while providing fans with access to free tickets. By making public transit more attractive through potential ticket giveaways, the festival reduces traffic congestion and parking demand while expanding access for individuals who might not otherwise be able to afford attendance.

The festival also strongly recommends the use of public transportation, bikes, or other alternative means of transportation due to extremely limited parking availability. Detailed transportation guidance is provided to help attendees reach the event via BART and connecting Muni buses, with specific instructions for different station exits and bus routes.

Ticket Giveaways and Employee Benefits

The relationship between Outside Lands and city government entities has created an unusual and controversial free ticket distribution system that came under scrutiny during an ethics investigation. According to reporting by the SF Standard, San Francisco Recreation & Parks (Rec & Park), the office that oversees permitting for the festival, accepted hundreds of free passes from the festival's promoter, Another Planet Entertainment.

This practice became so normalized that it was formally included in the contract between Rec & Park and Another Planet Entertainment, which specified that the promoter would "donate a customary and reasonable number of complimentary tickets" for city employee use. The arrangement reportedly resulted in some employees receiving tickets worth up to $1,200 at no cost, effectively a 100% discount.

When the festival returned to Golden Gate Park in October, ticket prices at the retail level ran up to nearly $1,200 for premium packages, making the complimentary tickets provided to city employees particularly valuable. The SF Ethics Commission discovered this arrangement as part of SF's broader investigation into gift-giving between private entities and city employees, which was triggered by a sweeping FBI investigation into corruption in the city.

To assess whether this ticket distribution practice was unique to San Francisco, the SF Standard queried oversight agencies for six other cities and counties that host music festivals on a similar scale, including events like the Voodoo Music + Arts Experience in New Orleans and the Life Is Beautiful festival in Las Vegas (which was also promoted by Another Planet Entertainment). The investigation revealed that the practice of providing free tickets to city employees for permitting purposes was not standard in other municipalities, highlighting the unusual nature of the San Francisco arrangement.

While this practice was exposed as part of a broader investigation into corruption, it represents a notable example of how free tickets were distributed within certain circles associated with the festival. The controversy underscores the tension between the informal culture of gift-giving in San Francisco's entertainment industry and formal ethics regulations.

Festival Vending Opportunities

For businesses interested in reaching the festival's large audience, Outside Lands offers vending opportunities that, while not free to participate in, provide significant value for participants. The festival attracts substantial crowds, with daily attendance ranging from 40,000 to 60,000 people. Over the full weekend, the total attendance reaches approximately 220,000 people, though this figure includes some attendees who come for multiple days rather than unique individuals.

The festival charges $3,000 for a covered 8x8 booth space, which includes several valuable amenities: - A covered space to protect vendors and merchandise from weather elements - A secure box in a shipping container that is locked each night to protect inventory - Three working passes to the festival daily, allowing vendors to experience the event - Free parking for the weekend, eliminating a significant logistical challenge

While electricity and outlets are not provided in the standard package, vendors do have access to WiFi, which enables digital transactions and communication. The location of the booth significantly impacts success, with vendors who secured spots on the outside edge of the polo fields (between the main stage and the rest of the festival grounds) reporting better customer traffic.

The importance of booth location became so apparent that at least one vendor took extraordinary measures to secure an optimal spot. According to a 2023 vendor debrief, one vendor emailed the person in charge of booth assignments before receiving their assignment, specifically requesting a booth on the outside edge. The vendor included a link to a previous blog post that demonstrated how much they cared about this specific location. The vendor noted that they sent this email "a little drunk on a sunday afternoon" without expecting it to work. Surprisingly, the request was granted, and when the vendor thanked the person in charge, they received the response: "I saw your email and thought 'she did math, she deserves it'."

This anecdote highlights both the importance of booth placement at Outside Lands and the somewhat informal nature of the vendor coordination process. The festival's attendance numbers and the captive audience make the $3,000 investment worthwhile for many vendors, particularly those who secure high-traffic locations.

Additional Eco-Friendly Activities and Incentives

Beyond the recycling and water programs, Outside Lands incorporates various environmental initiatives into its festival programming that provide additional value to attendees while promoting sustainability. These activities complement the main musical performances and create a more comprehensive festival experience.

The Panhandle Solar Stage represents one of the festival's most visible eco-friendly features. For multiple years, lighting and sound at this stage have been powered entirely by solar energy, demonstrating environmentally sound alternatives to traditional power sources for live music events. This commitment to renewable energy not only reduces the festival's carbon footprint but also educates attendees about sustainable technologies in an engaging, accessible format.

Waste diversion programs at the festival aim to minimize the environmental impact