media contact:  David Perry & Associates, Inc / (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com 

Porchfest Nights One Week from Tonight!
Wednesday July 30 Music Jam Features Tender Mercies
with Counting Crows’ Dan Vickrey and Jim Bogios

Exclusive Wednesday Evening Events Set Stage for
Second Annual Porchfest Benicia – Saturday, September 13
www.porchfest-benicia.com

23 July 2025 – Benicia, CA: The buzz is building for next week’s Porchfest Nights concert on Wednesday, July 30, featuring Patrick Winningham and Seth Affoumado from the acclaimed band Tender Mercies – a Bay Area folk/Americana group with deep roots in Counting Crows history.

Tender Mercies is a side project that includes two Counting Crows standouts: guitarist/vocalist Dan Vickrey and drummer Jim Bogios. The band’s origins trace back 20 years to when Vickrey first came to San Francisco and met Patrick Winningham, the then-manager of Hotel Utah, one of the city’s most beloved singer/songwriter venues. Together with bassist Kurt Stevenson, they formed Tender Mercies, blending heartfelt lyrics, stripped-down melodies, and a raw, soulful vibe that echoes early Van Morrison and The Band.

Tender Mercies sound is described by music critic j. poet as “haunting, powerful, and understated – from the celebration of love’s healing power in Safe and Sound, to the mystic country ballad Riding Blind, and the dark humor of Almighty Trial.” One of their songs, Four White Stallions, even made its way onto the Counting Crows’ album New Amsterdam: Live at the Heineken Music Hall.

“Having Tender Mercies at Porchfest Nights is huge,” says Mary Hand, publisher of Benicia Magazine and the creative spirit behind Porchfest. “It’s not every day you get up close and personal with musicians from a band as legendary as Counting Crows. July 30 is going to be something special.”

Porchfest Nights takes place at The Escape (4588 East Second Street, Suite E) in Benicia’s Industrial Park. Doors open at 6:00pm; music runs 6:30pm–8:30pm. Tickets are $18 and include a casual artist meet-and-greet. Beer and wine and snacks are available for purchase. The third and final Porchfest Nights concert is Wednesday, August 27 featuring Pardon the Interruption, a duo preview of the full band slated to play at Porchfest Benicia.

Porchfest Benicia 2025 returns on Saturday, September 13 with more than 40 performances across First Street and historic neighborhoods, from 1:00–5:00pm. Advance and VIP tickets are on sale now at www.porchfest-benicia.com.  Proceeds from Porchfest Nights support the production of Porchfest Benicia 2025. Last year’s inaugural event drew thousands of attendees, transforming Benicia into a regional music hot spot. The Rotary Club of Benicia is acting as Porchfest Benicia and Porchfest Nights’ 501(c)(3) partner, so donations accepted are eligible for a tax deduction. 

“This festival has truly captured the heart of Benicia,” said Benicia Mayor Steve Young. “It’s more than just a music event – it’s a community experience.”

SF’s Presidio Trust Unveils Outpost Meadow

Presidio Trust Unveils Outpost Meadow 
Vibrant New Expansion of Presidio Tunnel Tops Opens July 17, 2025 

San Francisco, CA (July 16, 2025) — Nearly three years to the day from the opening of the hugely successful Presidio Tunnel Tops, today park managers cut the ribbon on its expansion – the Outpost Meadow picnic area. The new 1.5-acre green space was celebrated at a ceremony with community and civic leaders who championed the site, which officially opens to the public on Thursday, July 17. 

Outpost Meadow adds space and amenities to Presidio Tunnel Tops, which has hosted five million visits since opening on July 17, 2022. Built as an extension of the nearby Outpost playground and Field Station discovery lab, it builds on Presidio Tunnel Tops’ popularity as a family-friendly destination for nature, play, and community. 

Features of the new site include shaded wheelchair accessible picnic tables with overall seating for up to 240 people, a large lawn surrounded by gardens and easy access to Presidio Pop Up food trucks – all set against a Golden Gate Bridge backdrop. Picnic tables are available on a first-come, first-served basis through October. A reservation system for some tables will be rolled out in fall 2025. 

“The public loves Presidio Tunnel Tops, and they’ve told us they want more,” said Presidio Trust CEO Jean Fraser. “So, we’re giving them more picnic tables, BBQ grills, bike parking, shade, food trucks – and especially space for parents to relax while their kids enjoy the Outpost playground. We want even more joy in the Presidio.” 

Outpost Meadow was designed by Field Operations, the landscape architects behind New York City’s acclaimed High Line. Design was informed by the original Presidio Tunnel Tops community outreach process, which engaged thousands of people. Operation of the new picnic area was further shaped by visitor and community feedback on topics ranging from the picnic table reservation system to signage to food service, art, and site activities. Construction was funded by a grant from the California Natural Resources Agency. 

“Ensuring that more Californians can experience the benefits that nature provides is critical to building a healthier California,” said Gloria Sandoval, deputy secretary for access at the California Natural Resources Agency. “Outpost Meadow provides meaningful access for urban residents across the Bay Area – exactly the vision the ‘Outdoors for All’ funding was meant to support. Having the iconic Golden Gate Bridge as a backdrop is a bonus feature.” 

Beyond visitor amenities, the site incorporates environmental features that strengthen the park’s resilience and biodiversity. It features 23,000 native plants mostly grown in the Presidio Nursery, as well as 4,000 drought-tolerant ornamentals – providing critical coastal habitat for local wildlife. The meadow’s permeable surfaces also helps absorb stormwater, reducing runoff into the Bay. 

Outpost Meadow, located along Mason Street in the Presidio, complements existing Presidio Tunnel Top amenities, including accessible walking paths, restrooms, scenic overlooks, a campfire circle, and the Presidio Visitor Center. Muni 30 provides direct service to the site, and the Muni 43 and free Presidio GO Shuttle provide service from the nearby Presidio Transit Center. Bay Wheels Bike Share stations are also nearby. Presidio Trust | presidio.gov 

Partners and Funding 
The original 14-acre Presidio Tunnel Tops was built with $98 million from generous donors raised through the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. The $12 million Outpost Meadow expansion was funded through the California Natural Resources Agency and supports the “Outdoors for All” initiative. The project is part of Presidio Forward, the Presidio Trust’s multi-year initiative to renew the park’s infrastructure, landscapes, and historic buildings. 

This expansion builds on the success of the Presidio Parkway restoration, a multi-agency, decades-long effort that transformed the Presidio’s waterfront from an area dominated by a highway into world-class public parklands. Working in partnership with the National Park Service and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, the Presidio Trust has restored more than 50 acres of landscape along the waterfront at such sites like Battery Bluff and Quartermaster Reach. 

• View the Outpost Meadow Fact Sheet 
• Visit the Outpost Meadow webpage 
• Download images by Myleen Hollero 

About the Presidio and the Presidio Trust 
The Presidio is one of America’s most visited national park sites, located within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Spanning 1,500 acres next to the Golden Gate Bridge, the Presidio is among the most biologically diverse parks in America. Historically a home to native peoples and a military post under three flags, its facilities have been reinvented as museums, restaurants, hotels, homes, and offices. The Presidio Trust is the federal agency that stewards the Presidio, in partnership with the National Park Service and with support from the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. The Trust sustains the Presidio by leasing homes and workplaces and offering visitor amenities. Learn more at presidio.gov and presidio.gov/tunnel-tops. 

Media Contact: 
Lisa Petrie, Presidio Trust 
mailto:lpetrie@presidiotrust.gov 
M: 415.264.7787 
O: 415.561.5424 

This Summer, Make a Masterpiece of a Family Day: Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel Exhibition is the Perfect Outing for SF & Bay Area Locals

“Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.”
— Michelangelo 

Looking for an inspiring and easy family outing this summer that’s both breathtaking and educational? Skip the airport and head to San Francisco’s Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, where Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition invites visitors of all ages to step into the splendor of one of the world’s most celebrated artistic achievements — right here in the Bay Area.

This globally-acclaimed immersive experience transforms the cathedral’s expansive event space into an up-close journey through Michelangelo’s frescoes. With reproductions in near-original scale, you and your kids can stand face-to-face with The Creation of Adam, The Last Judgment, and the entire Sistine ceiling — all without neck strain or the crowds of Rome.

And for parents and caregivers, one more reason to love it:

There’s ample FREE PARKING right onsite.  No circling the block. No expensive garages. Just park and enjoy.

The exhibition is also fully wheelchair and ADA accessible, making it an inclusive destination for every member of the family. A free audio guide appadds depth and storytelling, helping younger visitors understand the history, symbols, and passion behind the art.

Whether you’re introducing your kids to Renaissance art for the first time or looking for a cool (literally and figuratively) indoor experience that nurtures the imagination, this is the perfect cultural getaway close to home.

⸻

TICKETS & VISITOR INFO:

Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition

Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption

1111 Gough Street (at Geary), San Francisco, CA

Tickets:

• Adults: $22

• Seniors, Military, and Students: $18

• Children 6–12: $15

• Children 5 and under: Free

Hours:

Tuesday – Sunday, 10:30am – 5:00pm (last entry at 3:30pm)

Accessibility:

Fully wheelchair and ADA accessible

Parking:

Free onsite parking in the Cathedral parking lot

Extras:

Free “Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel Exhibit” audio guide app available for download

Photography encouraged — use hashtags: #SistineChapelExhibit #SEEGlobalSF

Tickets available at:

https://chapelsistine.com/exhibits/san-francisco-ca