Stern Grove Festival to bring Motown vibes this weekend

The Stern Grove Festival, the free summer music series now in its 87th season, is in full swing and this weekend will be a throwback.

State of play: The Commodores , a Grammy Award-winning funk and soul group from the height of the Motown era, take the stage this weekend.

• The group, which has shuffled through some members since its inception, is known for hits like " Easy ," " Sail On " and " Brick House ," my personal favorite.
• Other performers include Oakland-based The Grease Traps , an eight-piece funk and soul band, and DJ J Boogie .
• The season began last month with a performance from Tegan and Sara and wraps Aug. 18 with Lucinda Williams .

What they're saying: Bob Fielder, executive director at the Stern Grove Festival Association, told Axios via email that music is "vital for community" and that the yearly concert series is about "accessibility, inclusivity and fostering a sense of belonging."

Flashback: Stern Grove, in the 1840s, was just a tract of sand dunes and marshes until George Greene and his family planted the first eucalyptus trees and built the Trocadero Inn , according to the Stern Grove Festival Association .

• Rosalie Meyer Stern, who bought the 12 acres of land from the Greene family, donated the land to the city in 1931, understanding that it would be used for recreational activities and free concerts.
• The first concert was held in Stern Grove in 1932, when the San Francisco Symphony performed, but the first official festival didn't occur until 1938.
• Performers over the years have included Janelle Monae , Smokey Robinson , Fitz & The Tantrums , Too Short and many others.

Before you go: Sunday's show begins at 2pm. Doors open at noon.

• Be sure to pack a blanket, a lawn chair and sunscreen. You can bring your own food and alcohol, but refreshments are also available for sale.
• Free ticket reservations are currently sold out, but it's worth checking the Eventbrite site on Sunday morning to see if more are available. Otherwise, you can snag a reserved table for 10 people for $2,000 .