This weekend, Sept. 26 and 27, the Portola Music Festival took place at Pier 80, located near Potrero Hill and the Dogpatch. This unique setting with industrial warehouses and waterfront views creates a different atmosphere from a typical music festival. The lineup brings in well-known electronic, dance and pop artists, giving people a reason to travel to San Francisco for the weekend. Since starting in 2022, Portola has become a regular event on San Francisco’s music calendar and has helped bring more attention to the city’s electronic music scene. 

One of the most notable aspects of the Portola Music Festival is its 21-and-older age requirement. According to the festival’s official rules, attendees must be at least 21 years old to attend, and people under 21 cannot enter even if accompanied by someone with a valid age. A valid physical government-issued photo ID is also required in order to enter the event. That restriction makes the Portola Music Festival different from some other music festivals and means that high school students are left to experience the event through friends, social media or the news  rather than attending themselves. Even though Portola is only open to people 21 and older, the festival still gets a lot of attention from people around the Bay Area, according to Senior Vivienne Tang. 

“The event was all over my Instagram,” Tang said. “I know many adults were complaining about Outside Lands, another San Francisco music festival not being age restricted since many teenagers attend, so I am curious how much different the Portola Music Festival is,” 

General admission for Saturday started at $270 for a one-day general admission ticket, and for Sunday, tickets started at $300. The festival took place both indoors and outdoors at Pier 80, according to the festival’s official website. With multiple stages, attendees could choose between a large headlining performance, a DJ set or a smaller artist they had never heard before. For many people, discovering new music can be just as much a part of a festival as seeing a favorite artist. 

“I really like discovering new music,” Sophomore Maria Lutz said. “I think a festival is a great place to do it since you can see and hear artists who you might not normally have the opportunity to.”

One of the biggest reasons Portola attracts attention is its lineup. Instead of only featuring lesser-known electronic artists, the festival brings together performers whose music many people may already recognize. This year’s lineup included major names such as Robyn, Swedish House Mafia, Tiësto, Zara Larsson, Tove Lo and Dog Blood. The lineup was not just made up of current artists; Fatboy Slim, who has been performing for decades, brought a connection to the history of electronic and dance music. Songs like Robyn’s “Dancing on My Own,” Swedish House Mafia’s “Don’t You Worry Child” are recognizable even to people who may not regularly listen to electronic music. Zara Larsson added a more pop-focused sound with songs such as “Lush Life” and “Never Forget You.” Some attendees were put off by the immense focus on the top-charting star’s performance, according to Assistant Director of College Counseling Jake Sisco.

“From my friends that attended both days, Saturday easily took the crown; Sunday apparently felt a bit too much like a Zara Larsson showcase, and the noise levels were a big topic of conversation afterward,” Jake Sisco said. “I have not yet been to the Portola Music Festival, but it’s very high on my festival bucket list. I’d love to make it out there!”

In the past, the event received noise complaints from residents living in the city of Alameda, California, which is right across the San Francisco Bay from Pier 80, where the festival took place. Alameda requested that the festival be discontinued or moved to a different location for future events due to the various noise complaints from its residents, according to Wikipedia. Overall, the festival is a new San Francisco tradition that can still be something for students to look forward to when they are old enough to attend, according to Tang. 

“When I am 21, I will definitely attend the festival,” Tang said. “I was sad to miss out on Tove Lo’s performance, and I hope she returns in the future!”