Yerba Buena Gardens Festival announces 2025 line-up

Driving the news: The opening concert will take place May 10 with Grammy-winning La Santa Cecilia headlining and San Francisco's very own La Doña as the opener.

• Other events include a Storytellers' Showcase with youth-serving nonprofit 826 Valencia, the Native Contemporary Arts Festival, San Francisco Mime Troupe, Vân-Ánh Võ's Blood Moon Orchestra, Parangal Dance Company and more.
• New this year will be a first Thursday dance night series in the Yerba Buena East Garden. Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers will perform at the first one on July 3.
• All programs take place outdoors in Yerba Buena's main and children's gardens.

The intrigue: The YBGF is also launching a new poet-in-residence program with Nia Pearl as the inaugural participant.

• Pearl, a poet, writer and environmental justice advocate, will be involved in the Poetic Tuesdays series and help curate interactive writing workshops.

• The residency will also create site-specific poetry in response to musical performances and the gardens environment throughout the festival.

What they're saying: "We are proud of the role Yerba Buena Gardens Festival has played in ... helping make downtown San Francisco a culturally vibrant place for everyone," the festival's executive and artistic director Linda Lucero said in a news release.

• "We look forward to seeing all of you at the Gardens to help us celebrate this momentous milestone."