Held in an intimate venue set amidst an expansive landscape, Sound Summit is a musical gathering like no other in the Bay Area. The festival is staged at the historic Mountain Theater, a 4000-seat natural stone amphitheater with stunning views of San Francisco Bay and the Pacific beyond. Add a sun-filled day, a resonant cause, and a healthy dose of joy, spice generously with stellar music, and you have a recipe for a magical mountain brew.

Produced as an annual celebration of Mount Tamalpais State Park by Roots & Branches Conservancy, Sound Summit has raised $250,000 for Mount Tam to date. Just recently, the festival funded the restoration of the Steep Ravine Trail, one of the mountain’s most beloved and well-traveled, which is now reopen after being closed to the public for over six months.

And just as rewarding, we’ve been able to do so fueled by great performances from the likes of Wilco, Bob Weir & Phil Lesh, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Jim James, The War On Drugs, Herbie Hancock, Grace Potter, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Father John Misty, Dr. John & The Night Trippers, Los Lobos, Bill Frisell, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Nikki Lane, Faye Webster, Fruit Bats, Allah-Las, Vetiver, The Mother Hips, The Stone Foxes, Cha Wa, Wreckless Strangers, Con Brio, and many more, providing an incredible soundtrack to a stirring backdrop.

The same venue was the site of the Fantasy Faire and Magic Mountain Festival (the first rock festival in America) in the summer of 1967 – the Summer of Love – a week before Monterey Pop. Over 30 bands including Jefferson Airplane, The Doors, and The Byrds played over two days to a buoyant and colorful crowd and unknowingly birthed a tradition that’s still thriving a half-century later. In that respect, Sound Summit is treading on hallowed musical ground and keeping the vibe alive for all the best reasons.

The success of Sound Summit and the potential for it to remain a joyful and beneficial experience lies to a great extent in your hands. Given the sensitive nature of the environment in which we’re allowed to hold this celebration, it’s key that you tread lightly, respect the mountain, be kind and courteous to your fellow concert-goers, and follow the few rules we ask of you.

So come join us for a day of great music and celebration a bit closer to the clouds and help Mount Tam continue to nourish and inspire. Consider your presence some good deed-doing for a very special place in the neighborhood. We feel Sound Summit is as much a community spirit as it is a community event. Hope to see you on the mountain!