By Cicero A. Estrella
The pandemic silenced two of the most beloved annual indie events in the Bay Area, but it’s time to bring the noise again as Noise Pop Festival comes back for its 29th year in early 2022, and the 20th Street Block Party revs up for an October return.
Noise Pop Festival, San Francisco’s premier indie music and arts festival, is scheduled for Feb. 21 to 27, 2022, and will once again transform the Bay Area into a sprawling festival grounds with multiple events taking place throughout the week at various venues across the city.
“It’s been a long, strange year but it’s great to finally be getting back to normal,” Noise Pop founder Kevin Arnold said. “One of the positive things that came out of quarantine was a bunch of great music, and we can’t wait to help bring live entertainment back to the Bay Area. With a continued focus on supporting indie musicians and the local arts community, our team can’t wait to roll out our next big event.”
Event organizers are welcoming back its loyal fans with an extremely limited number of Super Early-Bird festival badges for only $99. Once these initial badges are sold out, the festival’s tiered pricing structure will continue to reward those who purchase badges early as the festival approaches and artists are announced. All badges grant access to all general admission (non-reserved seating) music concerts, badge-only happy hours and other special events, as well as film screenings.
The celebration of independent culture regularly spans across more than 20 iconic Bay Area music venues. The festival also hosts art shows, film screenings, happy hours, after-hour parties and more.
Also returning is the 20th Street Block Party. On Oct. 16, 2021, the 20th Street corridor between Harrison and Bryant streets in the Mission District will again play host to the daylong, all-ages music festival.
The block party also serves as a street-food festival and local shopping bazaar that showcases the diverse community that was home to the Noise Pop offices for more than a decade. It places the spotlight on the small businesses, food, music, art and culture of the neighborhood.
As always, the event is free to attend, but a limited number of Headline Lounge passes ($49) will allow ticket-holders access to a private lounge and bar, exclusive outdoor viewing areas, complimentary adult beverages, bites from the best Mission District restaurants and other perks.
For more on Noise Pop Festival, including ticket information, log onto noisepopfest.com. Details about the 20th Street Block Party can be found at 20thstreetblockparty.com.
Photos: Marc Fong, Subodh Samudre, Ian Young
