South San Francisco's biggest community party of the year lands at Orange Memorial Park today, and organizers landed a genuine headliner: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band Kool & the Gang tops the bill for the city's 2026 Concert in the Park. The free, all-ages festival runs from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., packing in music, food, family activities, and community vendors for what the city calls its largest annual gathering.
Kool & the Gang shares the stage with Bay Area dance band Mercy and the Heartbeats, Genentech's in-house a cappella group Genentonix, and local student performers, according to the Bay Area Registry. As Caltrain
put it in a post promoting the event, the day is built around music, food, family-friendly activities, and community vendors — and Caltrain is encouraging attendees to ride the train to the event.
That crunch is real: event organizers are closing parking lots along Memorial Drive for the day and are urging attendees to arrive by rideshare or local transit instead, per a South San Francisco Parks and Recreation post on Facebook. For residents without a car-free option, rideshare and local transit are the alternatives organizers are urging attendees to consider.
Getting There Without the Parking Headache
Caltrain is encouraging riders to leave the car behind for this year's event.
South San Francisco's own station has also been upgraded to handle event-day crowds. Back in April 2022, Caltrain and regional transit partners wrapped a $96.6 million modernization of the South San Francisco station, adding an accessible center-boarding platform and a pedestrian and bicycle underpass, as reported by Progressive Railroading.
Genentech's Backing, and a Park Built on Old Farmland
Genentech is presenting the 2026 Concert in the Park, with Kaiser Permanente serving as benefactor and GFI Entertainment and the San Mateo Daily Journal listed among local patrons, according to the city's Parks and Recreation department. The sponsorship gives Genentech a prominent role in its hometown event.
The park itself carries its own history. Orange Memorial Park is the setting for South San Francisco's central public event. Less visible to concertgoers are the systems and facilities that support a public park.
A Recurring Tradition in a Growing City
This is not South San Francisco's first marquee booking for the event. Last year's Concert in the Park was held at the same park. The free festival is designed to serve the community without an admission price tag.
