I’ve been to about 12 music festivals over the years, from Coachella in the desert to Outside Lands in Golden Gate Park. There have been aspects of every festival that I loved and aspects that left much to be desired, although each has been a unique and memorable experience for me. Last weekend, I attended Portola located at San Francisco’s Pier 80 and it’s been my favorite experience so far.
Portola is a 21+ music festival that features a lineup of prominent names in the EDM and house genres, put on by Goldenvoice, the same company responsible for Coachella (arguably the most iconic music festival of the modern age). Portola is a young festival, this past weekend marked its third year and every lineup has attracted more big names. Day one brought in names such as Rüfüs Du Sol, Gesaffelstein, Four Tet, Jamie XX, and even 2000s pop icon Natasha Bedingfield. Some highlights from day two included Disclosure, Justice, M.I.A, and Fisher.
Unlike other festivals, the vibe at Portola is that everyone really is there for the music. When I walked in, I was shocked by how casual the outfits were, with many festival goers sporting hoodies and leather jackets to dress for the city’s cloudy weather with moments of sunlight mixed in. At every set I attended, the dancing was contagious. The crowd was full of high energy as people moved in time to the music in their own, unique styles. The moderate weather made it much easier to stay hydrated throughout the weekend, especially if you bring a Camelbak with some electrolytes and take advantage of the water refill stations.
Pier 80, where Portola is held, is one of the coolest venues I’ve ever seen for a music festival. Located right on the water, huge ships, cranes, and shipping containers serve as the backdrop for the stages, with one stage even located inside a giant, industrial warehouse. If you catch an evening act at the main stage, you may even see the sun set over the San Francisco skyline. Since the ground is blacktop, you don’t have to worry about excessive amounts of dust like at desert festivals or grassy fields becoming more mud-like every day.
Since Portola only spans two days instead of the typical three, I didn’t feel like I needed days to recover come Monday. Additionally, I didn’t have to worry about skipping weekday obligations and having to play catch-up later on. The 21+ age cutoff may be a bummer if you still have a ways to go, but I felt the crowd was less rowdy than other festivals due to the restriction. There are also several Portola after-parties you can buy tickets for if you’re fiending for more music after the lights turn off, with many venues walkable from Pier 80.
The logistics and venue at Portola made the weekend a seamless experience and I’m excited to see what next year holds for the young festival. Tickets for 2024 went on sale last May, and we can probably expect to see a similar timeline for the 2025 festival. I know I’ll be back at the pier next year!
