The Power to The Peaceful festival is the brainchild of musician/activist Michael Franti (leader of the band Spearhead) and has become one of San Francisco's biggest annual free events. On September 6th, an expected 30,000 people will descend on Speedway Meadows in Golden Gate Park for a day of music, educational speakers, yoga (ever done a yoga class with 1000 other people?), food and shopping. The goal of the festival is to bring people together through music and art to highlight the similarities and celebrate the diversity of all of the world’s inhabitants.

Musical headliners this year include Spearhead, Ziggy Marley and Warren Hayes (of Gov't Mule) among others. The DJ tent promises to be bigger and better than ever with preformances from King Britt, Ursula Rucker and Cheb i Sabbah and more. Speakers include Namkha Gyatso Rinpoche (from Tibet) and Congresswoman Lynn Woosley. Every one of the performers brings something much more than music to the table. Activists, inspirationalists, poets and prophets (or at least brothers of profits) make this a well rounded event and, with a little luck, the sun should be out and shining down on all who come out.

It's a San Francisco event to it's core with things like a pre and post event Yoga clinic, totally green practices (a musical festival must these days), political activism and, like all good outdoor events, is free. There is also a short film contest where contestants can enter videos about things like what they do to inspire change or what peace means to them. Winners get backstage passes, t-shirts and other prizes. See what has been submitted so far and leave your comments or upload your own video at the PTTP Film Contest on Youtube.

The afterparty will once again take place at Mezzanine. Get pre-sale tix

Get all the details and the full line-up here