The revelers were Dead on arrival — in a good way.On Saturday, Deadheads descended on McLaren Park for the 21st annual Jerry Day festival, a free, all-day celebration of Jerry Garcia’s 81st birthday. (If Garcia were alive, he would have turned 81 on Aug. 1.) Fans packed into the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater — renamed from “McLaren Park Amphitheater” by the Recreation and Park Commission in 2005 — to tune out to five hours of jams from Stu Allen & Mars Hotel, Melvin Seals and JGB, and Box Set. Even Mayor London Breed made an appearance to pay her respects.Depending on who you ask, the Grateful Dead are as important to San Francisco identity as sourdough and the Giants. The Dead were heroes of the 1960s Haight-Ashbury counterculture, developing a rabid following after legendary early career shows like a free 1968 concert that flooded Haight Street with fans. Even after they broke through to international audiences, the Dead continued to pepper their music with references to San Francisco locales. The connection between the band and city traces back to Garcia’s childhood in SF’s Excelsior District, with his elementary, middle and high schools listed as landmarks on the Jerry Day website.Concertgoers enjoy Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATEAdvertisementArticle continues below this adAccording to the event organizers, smoking and illicit substances (and, presumably, the smoking of illicit substances) are strictly prohibited. But it’s hard not to notice a suspiciously thick and billowy San Francisco fog hanging over the crowd, misting over the sea of tie-dyed tees, dancing bears and smiling skulls.Concertgoers enjoy Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATEScroll down to see more photos from the event.Melvin Seals and JGB perform at Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATEAdvertisementArticle continues below this adConcertgoers enjoy Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATEBox Set perform at Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATEConcertgoers enjoy Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATEMelvin Seals and JGB perform at Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATEAdvertisementArticle continues below this adConcertgoers enjoy Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATEStu Allen and Mars Hotel perform at Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATEStu Allen and Mars Hotel perform at Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATESky Williamson hula hoops at Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATEAdvertisementArticle continues below this adConcertgoers enjoy Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATETom O’Boyle, Manya Day adn daughter Bridget pose next to their self-made Grateful Dead painting at Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATEMelvin Seals performs at Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATEConcertgoers enjoy Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATEAdvertisementArticle continues below this adConcertgoers enjoy Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATEConcertgoers enjoy Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATE”Merlin” plays his stick guitar at Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATEConcertgoers enjoy Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATEAdvertisementArticle continues below this adConcertgoers enjoy Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATEConcertgoers enjoy Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATEConcertgoers enjoy Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATEConcertgoers enjoy Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATEAdvertisementArticle continues below this adMelvin Seals and JGB perform at Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATESteffanie W dances at Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATEBox Set perform at Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATEConcertgoers enjoy Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATEAdvertisementArticle continues below this adGordon Taylor blows magic bubbles at Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATEMayor London Breed, Trixie Garcia and Tom Murphy proclaim Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATEA concertgoer in Dead attire at Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATEA staff member at Jammin on Vegas shows off his Dead necklace at Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATEAdvertisementArticle continues below this adJammin on Vegas staff show off their wares at Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATEA concertgoer enjoys Jerry Day in McLaren Park on Saturday, August 5.Christopher Partin / Special to SFGATE
Fans of the Grateful Dead gather in San Francisco to honor Jerry Garcia
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