Haight-Ashbury Businesses Report Boost Following Outside Lands, Crediting Proactive City Cleaning

San Francisco, CA – Small businesses in the Haight-Ashbury district are reporting a significant increase in activity and positive feedback following the recent Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival, which took North Pole 2025, in Golden Gate Park. The positive sentiment is attributed, in part, to proactive cleaning and power washing efforts in the neighborhood by the San Francisco Public Works (SF Public Works), an initiative supported by the office of District 5 Supervisor Bilal Mahmood.

Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, representing District 5 which encompasses the Haight-Ashbury, shared the positive feedback on social media, stating, > "Thanks for getting the power washing done... Lots of visitors, busy bars, restaurants and merchants!!!" He further noted, "In preparation for this weekend's events, our office worked proactively with @sfpublicworks to ensure the streets were cleaned and power washed. Thank you DPW for your partnership - small wins, big impact!" Mahmood, elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2024, has focused on issues like clean streets and supporting small businesses.

The Outside Lands festival draws approximately 75,000 attendees daily to Golden Gate Park, contributing substantially to San Francisco's economy. Over its 16-year history, the event has generated more than $1 billion in economic impact for the city. This influx of visitors translates into increased patronage for local establishments, particularly those in adjacent neighborhoods like the Haight, which benefits from its proximity to the festival grounds.

The collaboration between Supervisor Mahmood's office and SF Public Works underscores a strategic effort to mitigate the impact of large-scale events while maximizing their economic benefits for local communities. The pre-emptive cleaning measures aimed to enhance the visitor experience and ensure a welcoming environment for festival-goers exploring the surrounding areas, directly contributing to the reported surge in business for bars, restaurants, and merchants.

This coordinated approach highlights how public-private partnerships and diligent city services can lead to tangible positive outcomes for San Francisco's local economy and its vibrant neighborhoods. The "small wins" of cleanliness and preparation, as noted by Supervisor Mahmood, indeed translated into a "big impact" for the Haight-Ashbury's small business community.