Stern Grove Finale with Too $hort, Tower of Power Canceled Due to Flooding

After a successful comeback season featuring Ledisi, Joan Jett and the San Francisco Symphony, Stern Grove planned to wrap up its 84th free concert series with performances by Too $hort and Tower of Power on Aug. 29. But the performance, which also doubled as fundraiser for the festival, is no longer happening because of flooding at the San Francisco park.

The culprit is a major water main rupture on Sloat Avenue above the Grove. Organizers say it spilled over 700,000 gallons of water into the park and surrounding areas. The damage is so severe that the area won’t be usable for events for months to come. The festival is currently raising funds to rebuild the park, and fans can donate on its website or by texting STERNGROVE to 56512.

“We are devastated to announce the sudden cancellation of our season finale and annual fundraiser with Tower of Power and Too $hort. This was definitely one of our most highly anticipated concerts of an incredible season, but the damage is too severe to move forward safely at this time,” said Executive Director Bob Fiedler in a statement. “We are grateful that no one was hurt, and we are proud to have overcome so many challenges this year to have presented nine exceptional concerts for more than 50,000 people. We look forward to restoring the Grove and being able to welcome the community back next year.”