Portola Festival Turned Pier 80 Into ‘San Frandisco’

As the sky darkened over Pier 80 on Sunday night, the crowd at Portola’s main stage swelled into what looked like an endless sea of people. Bodies bounced in unison as Australian tech-house producer Dom Dolla took the stage, thousands of hands reaching skyward as the elastic beat of “San Frandisco” surged.

The crowd chanted along: “San Francisco, where’s your disco?” And it felt like a rallying cry, charging up the already electric atmosphere. For a moment, the city had its answer: The disco was right here, on the pier, under the cranes and fog.

Pier 80 hosted San Francisco’s Portola Festival for its fourth year — and it was its sunniest weekend yet. Early arrivals trickled between stages Saturday afternoon, testing the waters of the eclectic lineup. Pop duo Magdalena Bay lit up the main