Since 1938, the Stern Grove Festival Association has presented the Stern Grove Festival, a free, summer performance series at Sigmund Stern Grove in San Francisco. The Festival has presented more than 800 performances for more than six million concert-goers. In keeping with Mrs. Stern’s original vision, the Festival has continued to offer admission-free performances by some of the world’s greatest artists and companies including Kronos Quartet, Isaac Stern, San Francisco Ballet, Opera and Symphony, Diana Krall, Miriam Makeba, Nancy Wilson, Arrested Development, Dr. John, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Ozomatli, Lucinda Williams, Los Lobos, Roberta Flack, Joan Baez, and many more. The Rhoda Haas Goldman Stern Grove Festival Archives documents the history of the Stern Grove Festival and related activities from 1936-2006. The materials are arranged in the following series: Series I: Programs and Flyers; Series II: Photographs; Series III: Press Releases and Public Service Announcements; Series IV: Administrative Records and Clippings; Series V: General History and Personal Papers; Series VI: Correspondence; Series VII: Press Books and Scrapbooks; Series VIII: Artist Proposals and Weekly Reports; Series IX: Financial Records; Series X: Video Recordings; and Series XI: Audio Recordings.

Since 1938, the Stern Grove Festival Association has presented the Stern Grove Festival, a free, summer performance series at Sigmund Stern Grove in San Francisco. The Grove was purchased in 1931 by Rosalie M. Stern and given as a gift to the city of San Francisco in memory of her husband Sigmund Stern. Rosalie Stern worked with architects Gardiner Dailey, Bernard Maybeck and his assistant William Gladstone on developing the property which included tennis courts, a bowling lawn, and a lake. Maybeck also designed a music pavilion, and on June 19, 1932, the San Francisco Symphony gave the first performance there under the direction of Gaetano Merola. In 2004, Stern Grove underwent a $15 million renovation, designed by renowned landscape architect, Lawrence Halprin. The renovation was completed in June of 2005. The Festival has presented more than 800 performances for more than six million concert-goers. In keeping with Mrs. Stern’s original vision, the Festival has continued to offer admission-free performances by some of the world’s greatest artists and companies including Kronos Quartet, Isaac Stern, San Francisco Ballet, Opera and Symphony, Diana Krall, Miriam Makeba, Nancy Wilson, Arrested Development, Dr. John, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Ozomatli, Lucinda Williams, Los Lobos, Roberta Flack, Joan Baez, and many more. In addition to the summer concerts, Stern Grove Festival presents interactive community outreach programs for audiences of all ages. Among these are Kids Days, KidStage, and pre-concert Artist Talks.

25 linear feet.

Copyright resides with the Stern Grove Festival Association.

Contracts, financial records and minutes are restricted and require permission of the Stern Grove Festival Association.