About us
🔴 Our events are all about connection — meeting new friends, exploring new places, and doing fun things together — that aren't focused on alcohol or romance. We strive to create a welcoming, respectful, and inclusive space for everyone. Thoughtful behavior is expected, and newcomers are always welcome!
📢 Stay in the loop!
Make sure your Meetup notifications are turned ON so you learn about upcoming events as soon as they’re announced by email!
🔷 See our Group Guidelines HERE
🔷See ALL our scheduled events HERE
🔷 See our 10,000+ photos HERE
🔴 Help Keep the Fun Going in 2026
We’re a volunteer-led group, and member contributions help cover annual Meetup fees and occasional venue rentals. See our 2026 contributor list. Please make your annual $20 contribution for 2026 by giving cash with your name to the host at an in-person event. (Contributions are not tax-deductible.) As a thank-you, you can opt in to receive one-way group text updates with reminders and last-minute announcements. New here? Enjoy a few events first, then pitch in if it feels like a good fit!
🔴 Important Notice & Liability Waiver
By participating in any New Beginnings Social Event, you and your guests RELEASE and DISCHARGE the organizers, hosts, and participants from all liability for injuries, illness, damages, death, issues relating to privacy or economic loss arising from activities, advice, or information provided. Participation is voluntary and entirely at your own risk. You are responsible for your safety, belongings, and transportation decisions. Choose carpool drivers carefully and consider leaving valuables at home.
Upcoming events
28
🎸 Los Altos First Friday: A Night of Music, Fun + 10-15 Bands! 🎤 🎶 💃🏻🕺
Enchanté Boutique Hotel, 1 Main St, Los Altos, CA, USIt’s that time again! On the First Friday of every month, downtown Los Altos comes alive with 10–15 live bands, dancing, food, drinks, and plenty of fun along First and Main Streets.
🎶 Featured Meetup Spot:
Our own Rob Van Wandelen’s House Band will be playing on the patio at Enchanté Boutique Hotel from 6:00–8:00 pm. Expect high-energy, danceable favorites—from the Stones and Beatles to Elton John, Pink, The Black Keys, and Adele.
----------------------------------------
📍 Finding the Group:
While Rob is performing, he won’t be hosting at a table—but Enchanté Hotel is our home base until 8:00 pm.
- Look for one or two larger tables on the patio (or ask the bar staff to point you to New Beginnings)
- If you arrive first, feel free to start a table
- During the band’s break, Rob often swings by to say "hi!"
After 8:00 pm, we usually wander to nearby venues to catch more bands until around 9:00 pm.
👉 Full lineup: losaltosfirstfriday.fun💬 Connecting with others:
Use the Meetup comments to coordinate—or post if you’re new so we can keep an eye out for you!
----------------------------------------
🍷 Venue Etiquette
To help us maintain a great relationship with Enchanté Hotel, please keep in mind that we are patrons, even when seated outdoors. Please plan to purchase food or beverages from the venue, thank the staff, and tip generously. Out of respect for the business and health code requirements, please don’t bring outside food or drinks.
----------------------------------------
☔️ Weather Plan
This is an outdoor patio event—dress warmly!
If rain is expected, the band will decide by 4:00 pm. Any updates will be posted in the comments.----------------------------------------
🎵 Preview House Band on YouTube
· Twist and Shout
· Not Your Stepping Stone----------------------------------------
✨ EVENT LOGISTICS
🅿️ Parking:
Free lots and street parking nearby (short walk likely)📱 Day-of Event Contact:
Amy (New Beginnings Organizer): 650-503-4555----------------------------------------
😎 Come for the music, stay for the people—and enjoy a lively night out with your New Beginnings crew!
----------------------------------------
🔷 See our Group Guidelines HERE
🔴 Help Keep the Fun Going in 2026
As a volunteer-led group, member contributions help cover Meetup fees and the occasional venue rental that make our gatherings possible. If you haven’t contributed in 2026, we invite you to give a $20 annual cash contribution (with your name) directly to the event host. (Contributions are not tax-deductible.) See our 2026 contributor list. New here? Enjoy a couple of events first — then pitch in if it feels like a good fit!🔴 Liability Reminder
By participating in any New Beginnings Social Event, you and your guests RELEASE and DISCHARGE the organizers, hosts, and fellow participants from all liability for injuries, illness, damages, death, issues relating to privacy or economic loss arising from activities, advice, or information provided. Participation is voluntary and entirely at your own risk. You are responsible for your safety, belongings, and transportation decisions. Choose carpool drivers carefully and consider leaving valuables at home.11 attendees
🥐 🥪☕️ Saturday morning coffee at Franklin Street Caffé 🎉 👏🏻
Franklin Street Caffe, 1053 El Camino Real, Redwood City, CA, USKick off your weekend with our legendary Saturday morning coffee hangout!
Here's the deal:
👉 Drop in whenever you can—no pressure, just good vibes.
👉 Bring friends! The more, the merrier (bonus points if they’re coffee lovers).
👉 Say hi to new faces—we're all about making everyone feel like part of the crew.
👉 Please update your RSVP if you aren't coming, so waitlist folks can get in!We meet on the 1st, 3rd, and (when the calendar gets fancy) 5th Saturday of each month. Come for the coffee, stay for the laughs (and maybe a pastry or two). Your Saturday mornings just got WAY better! ☀️
Learn more about Franklin Street Caffé on Yelp.
🤗 Café Etiquette
We love being welcomed by local spots like this one! Please support Franklin Street Caffé by ordering food or beverages, thanking the staff, and tipping generously. Even when we’re seated outdoors, outside food or drinks aren’t allowed due to health code requirements.🔷 See our Group Guidelines HERE
🔴 Help Keep the Fun Going in 2026
As a volunteer-led group, member contributions help cover Meetup fees and the occasional venue rental that make our gatherings possible. If you haven’t contributed in 2026, we invite you to give a $20 annual cash contribution (with your name) directly to the event host. (Contributions are not tax-deductible.) See our 2026 contributor list. New here? Enjoy a couple of events first — then pitch in if it feels like a good fit!🔴 Liability Reminder
By participating in any New Beginnings Social Event, you and your guest(s) RELEASE and DISCHARGE the organizers, hosts, and participants from all liability for injuries, illness, damages, death, issues relating to privacy or economic loss arising from activities, advice, or information provided. Participation is voluntary and entirely at your own risk. You are responsible for your safety, belongings, and transportation decisions. Choose carpool drivers carefully and consider leaving valuables at home.14 attendees
🎶🌳 Hardly Strictly Bluegrass & Picnic in Golden Gate Park! 🌁 🎶🌟
Golden Gate Park Hellman Hollow, 850 JFK Drive, San Francisco, CA, US🎶🌳 Hardly Strictly Bluegrass: Music, Dancing & Picnicking in Golden Gate Park
It’s back! Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, now in its 26th year, returns to Golden Gate Park for three days of incredible FREE live music.
New Beginnings is heading to the festival on Saturday, October 3, for an easygoing day of music, dancing, wandering, picnicking, and hanging out with friends among the six stages at Hellman Hollow, Lindley Meadow, and Marx Meadow.
📅 Saturday, October 3
New Beginnings meetup: Starting at 11:00 AM — join us at any point during the day
Festival Hours: 9:00 AM–7:00 PM — come earlier and/or stay later if you like!
🎶 Music Starts: 11:00 AM
Schedule: HSB 2026 Schedule
(Saturday’s printable schedule is also posted below in Photos.)
🎤 Meetup Host: Leah
🎟️ FREE — no festival ticket required🎵 RSVP NOW — THE FESTIVAL SCHEDULE IS OUT!
The full Saturday festival schedule is available, and Leah has put together a loose New Beginnings plan featuring several great performances.You don’t need to follow the whole schedule—or even arrive at 11:00. Meet us at any point, wander to another stage when something catches your interest, and reconnect later.
👉 Check out the Saturday schedule posted in the event Photos below, and RSVP YES so you’ll receive updates as the day approaches.
——————————————————
🎶 NEW BEGINNINGS FESTIVAL PLAN
Follow along—or meet us at any point!Plan to arrive slightly before 11:00 am to get through the entrance line. It may look long, but it moves quickly. Please make sure to read festival rules about what is and isn’t allowed before leaving home. If you have a clear bag or backpack, you’ll get in rather quickly.
🦢 We’ll meet at the Swan Stage at 11:00 am for the Crosby Collection, 11:00-11:40 AM.
🪀 Look for our large green balloon or balloons to locate us – on the left side of the stage. Bring snacks to share, a refillable water bottle, sunscreen, low beach chairs only, and wear layers.🍺 🍷 Alcohol (beer and wine only) are permitted, but no glass bottles. Cans, wines decanted to plastic, aluminum, or steel receptacles are fine.
🦢 We will remain at the Swan Stage during the break to see MoonAlice 12:25-1:15 PM (or you can peel off to one of the other stages or just explore).
🪕 Then, we will move to the Banjo Stage (a short walk, but it may take time due to the crowds) to have eat lunch, visit, and get settled before Mavis Staples plays 2:15-3:05 PM.
🪕 After that, we can stay for Gillian Welch & David Rawlings 3:50-5:00 PM, as we officially wrap up our New Beginnings gathering. Or, if you prefer, head to the 🌟 Towers of Gold Stage to see Hot Tuna Acoustic 2:55-3:50 PM.
🌙 Still want more? Stay for the evening!
Several popular acts play later. Leah will likely continue on to Steve Earle at the Banjo Stage or Old Crow Medicine Show at the Swan Stage—two longtime HSB favorites.Above are suggested gathering points, not a required itinerary. Part of the fun of Hardly Strictly is wandering through the park, discovering new music, and creating your own festival experience.
——————————————————
📱 WANT TO FIND THE GROUP DURING THE DAY?
After you RSVP, text Leah at 415.309.1162 and say:
“Please add me to the HSB text list.”We'll use the group text on festival day to share things like “We're heading to the ___ Stage” or “We're sitting near ___ if anyone wants to join us.”
That way you can split off, explore, and still find New Beginnings friends later.
——————————————————
🧺 LUNCH, FOOD & WHAT TO BRING
We strongly recommend bringing a picnic lunch and/or snacks for yourself or to share. There are lots of interesting food vendors onsite, but lines can be long—and you could miss an entire music set while waiting for your food to be ready!
If you’d rather buy lunch there, the festival offers a huge variety of food and beverage vendors, with everything from Nepalese dumplings and Vietnamese noodles to Jamaican, Ghanaian, Mexican, Mediterranean, pizza, burgers, ice cream, and more.
Bring a blanket or low beach-style chair, but choose something you’re comfortable carrying. We expect to move around during the day rather than establishing one permanent New Beginnings campsite.
Also recommended:
✅ Refillable water bottle
✅ Picnic lunch and/or snacks to share
✅ Beer or wine only, in non-glass containers (no alcoholic beverages will be sold onsite)
✅ Sunscreen and/or hat
✅ Layers — this is San Francisco!
✅ Comfortable walking shoes
✅ Binoculars, if you have a pair
✅ Portable phone chargerAlcohol note: Beer and wine are permitted, but no glass bottles. Cans and wine transferred into plastic, aluminum, or steel containers are fine.
——————————————————
🚗 GETTING THERE
Public transportation is strongly recommended. Parking anywhere near Hardly Strictly Bluegrass can be extremely difficult, crowded and expensive.
Consider taking BART, Caltrain and Muni, depending on where you're coming from.
Changes to Muni service for HSB.
Another option is to park well away from Golden Gate Park and take Uber, Lyft, Waymo or public transit to the festival. Trying to park close to the festival adds a lot of unnecessary stress to an otherwise fun day.
Festival entrances open at 9:00 AM on Saturday. If you’re joining us for the 11:00 AM start, plan to arrive a little early so you have time to get through security and find the Swan Stage.
——————————————————
🌳 A FEW FESTIVAL BASICS
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass takes place over three days—Friday, Saturday and Sunday—so enjoy as much of the festival weekend as you'd like.
If you've always wanted to experience HSB, haven't been in a while, or would simply enjoy discovering great music with other New Beginnings friends, Saturday is a great day to jump in.
Before coming, please review the festival's current FAQ and rules about what may and may not be brought into the festival. Security screening is in place at festival entrances.
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival FAQ:
https://hardlystrictlybluegrass.com/info-faq-2026/2026 Food & Drink:
https://hardlystrictlybluegrass.com/2026-food-and-drink/——————————————————
🎶 Come for the music. Dance when the spirit moves you. Wander to other stages when something catches your ear. Meet up with friends along the way!
Follow Leah’s plan for the whole day, join us for just a set or two, or create your own festival adventure and reconnect with the group when you like. 🌳🎸🧺💃🕺
👉 RSVP YES now so you receive any updates to our schedule, check out the full schedule: HSB 2026 Schedule, and text Leah if you’d like to be added to the HSB group text.
——————————————————
🔷 See our Group Guidelines HERE
🔴 Supporting Fun, Friendship and Community in 2026
As a volunteer-led group, member contributions help cover Meetup fees and the occasional venue rental that make our gatherings possible. If you haven’t contributed in 2026, we invite you to give a $20 annual cash contribution (with your name) directly to the event host. (Contributions are not tax-deductible.) See our 2026 contributor list. New here? Enjoy a couple of events first — then pitch in if it feels like a good fit!🔴 Liability Reminder
By participating in any New Beginnings Social Event, you and your guests RELEASE and DISCHARGE the organizers, hosts, and fellow participants from all liability for injuries, illness, damages, death, issues relating to privacy or economic loss arising from activities, advice, or information provided. Participation is voluntary and entirely at your own risk. You are responsible for your safety, belongings, and transportation decisions. Choose carpool drivers carefully and consider leaving valuables at home.15 attendees
Past events
2100
