The Ford (John Anson Ford Amphitheatre)
The Ford is an outdoor amphitheater on the east side of the Cahuenga Pass, across the 101 Freeway from the Hollywood Bowl. It opened in 1920 as a wooden stage for The Pilgrimage Play. After a 1929 brush fire destroyed that structure, it was rebuilt in poured concrete in 1931, and in 1976 it was renamed for county supervisor John Anson Ford.
Los Angeles County owns the site. A major renovation reopened it in 2016, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic has operated it since 2020 with the Ford Theatre Foundation and county parks. The main amphitheater seats about 1,200, and an 87-seat indoor space sits on the grounds.
Summer seasons lean toward music with roots around the world, plus jazz, dance and family shows, many produced with local arts groups. Guests may bring food and their own beer or wine, but no hard liquor. On-site parking is stacked and limited, and evening shows have a free shuttle from the Universal City/Studio City Metro Station.
Know Before You Go
- Venue type: Amphitheater
- Opened: 1920
- Operator: Los Angeles Philharmonic, with the Ford Theatre Foundation and LA County Parks and Recreation
- Programming: Global music, jazz, Latin, folk, dance and family programs
This profile is part of The 824 Journal Guide to Live Music Venues in Los Angeles and Orange County.
Official Links
Sources
Photo: Los Angeles Times via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
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Venue Details
- Address
- 2580 Cahuenga Blvd E
Los Angeles, CA 90068 - City, State
- Los Angeles, CA
- Capacity
- 1200
- Indoor / Outdoor
- Outdoor
- Standing / Seated
- Seated
- Parking
- Limited stacked on-site parking is sold per event, and on evening shows a free shuttle runs from the Universal City/Studio City Metro Station and Ovation Hollywood.
Amenities
- Food
- Concessions (picnics allowed)
- Drinks
- Beer & wine (outside beer and wine permitted)
- Bag Policy
- Bags do not need to be clear but must fit under a seat and measure no more than 15 inches wide, 12 inches high or 22 inches long.
https://www.theford.com/visit/when-youre-here/house-rules
Photographer's FAQ
- Camera Policy
- Phone photos without flash are fine, but professional cameras with detachable or extendable lenses and any recording without written permission are not allowed.
https://www.theford.com/visit/when-youre-here/house-rules