Festival weekend: Hardly Strictly, Castro + Fillmore Streets

This weekend presents a number of choices for free music around the City. We have two street fairs (Castro and Fillmore), as well as the ninth annual Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, which opened up with MC Hammer this early afternoon (I kid you not). The lineup shines with high caliber acts, including Neko Case, Dr. Dog, Gillian Welch and Billy Bragg. Download Neko Case’s “People Got a Lotta Nerve”.

On Saturday the very first Taste of Fillmore street fair takes place, between Pine and California Streets. This is an obvious pleaser for wine tasters, fashionistas and jazz enthusiasts.

Sunday will see the Castro Street Fair providing entertainment for the masses. Streets in the heart of the Castro will be blocked off to make room for 5 stages as well as a family garden. Highlights include Hot Tub and Aim Low Kid at the Red-Rock Stage, Kitten on the Keys at the Community Stage, and an “epic drag number” called Cookie Dough & the Monster Show.