On Saturday, September 19, 2026, the 35th Anniversary of the National AIDS Memorial Grove was commemorated with a public gathering at the Grove in Golden Gate Park. The event served as both a solemn and inspiring occasion to honor the countless lives lost to AIDS, while celebrating the dedicated community that has lovingly sustained and preserved the Grove since its founding.
The morning dedication ceremony featured remarks from key community leaders, partners, and supporters. Speakers included National AIDS Memorial CEO John B. Cunningham, longtime Grove supporter John Montfort, Marcy Fraser (who worked as a nurse in the AIDS Ward at San Francisco General Hospital at the height of the AIDS epidemic), Jane Stafford of the Gilead Foundation, and Lisa Bransten representing San Francisco Recreation and Parks.
The event included dedication of a new Upper Oaks Trail Overlook, a formal tree planting and community hillside planting, the calling of names, a Circle of Friends wreath laying, an AIDS Memorial Quilt display and creation of a signature Grove 35th Anniversary panel, and other community art and remembrance activities.
This major anniversary arrived at a time when the historical lessons of the HIV/AIDS crisis remain as vital and deeply relevant as ever. The event highlighted, not only the enduring memory of those lost, but also the generations of volunteers who carry the Grove’s mission and legacy forward. https://www.aidsmemorial.org/
Published on September 24, 2026
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