SF’s Sunset Dunes celebrates 1 year anniversary with free music festival amid ongoing debate

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — San Francisco’s newest and most controversial park marked its first anniversary this weekend, drawing both celebration and renewed debate about its future along the Great Highway.

A small crowd of residents made their way through the fog to attend the first-ever Ploverfest at Sunset Dunes, a car-free, oceanfront park that opened one year ago on a two-mile stretch of the former roadway.

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The event featured a “musical mile” with three makeshift stages showcasing local performers, along with food trucks and sweeping beachfront views.

San Francisco’s Recreation and Park Department hailed the park’s first year as a success. Officials said Sunset Dunes has attracted more than 1.7 million visitors since opening and described it as a major community win.

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“I think the park is outperforming every metric than expected,” said Lucas Lux, President of Friends of Sunset Dunes.

Some visitors also praised the space for its accessibility and recreational value.

“I use it all the time, love it. I ride my bike down here on weekdays, weekends, bring friends,” said Janna Cordeiro, a San Francisco resident.

Despite the festivities, opposition to the park remains strong among some Sunset District residents.

An ongoing effort is underway to collect signatures for a November ballot initiative that would reopen the Great Highway to cars on weekdays. The group behind the effort previously supported the recall of the district’s supervisor after he backed closing the road.

Stephen Gorski, a San Francisco resident involved in the petition drive, said traffic has worsened since the closure.

“We’re not changing our position, our position is that weekends are fine, but weekdays are killing everybody,” he said.

Supporters of Sunset Dunes argue that the push to limit or reverse the closure undermines valuable public space.

“It seems absurd to me that people would spend their time and energy trying to shut down open space,” Cordeiro said.

For now, the Great Highway remains closed to cars, as it has since voters approved the change in 2024, and Sunset Dunes remains open to pedestrians, cyclists and families.

“As the father of a young kid, big decisions come with big feelings. Everybody should have big feelings about how our coast is used,” said Lucas Lux, president of Friends of Sunset Dunes.