“What the Grateful Dead created is so much bigger than going to concerts. It’s a very strong and thriving community,” Chloë Sevigny asserts over a montage of evocative scenes: the swirl of lights on a dark road between tour stops, the rhythmic movement of fans on the venue floor, and the iconic, enduring imagery of dancing bears.
This description offers only a brief glimpse into the official trailer for Summer Tour. The documentary spotlights the longevity of the Grateful Dead community’s fandom through the road-tested journey of Jeremiah Pierce, lead singer of the tribute band Mason’s Children, and his partner, Annie, as they busk in pursuit of access to Dead & Company concerts. A special film screening and live performance by Mason’s Children is scheduled for Thursday, June 4, at the Brooklyn Bowl.
Produced by longtime Deadhead Chloë Sevigny and directed by Mischa Richter, Summer Tour serves as an intimate, road-tested portrait of the healing nature of music and community. It captures the enduring magic of the Deadhead community through the journeys of multiple generations of fans following Dead & Company on the band’s final tour in 2023.
Summer Tour is more than just a bird’s-eye view of massive crowds; it explores the soft tissue that surrounds and supports the musical community, defined by kindness, friendship, and a shared love of the music. Richter notes, “The Grateful Dead community has given me so much over the years and it’s such an honor and privilege to be able to make this film about and with this beautiful, fun, kind and truly unique American scene.”
The documentary will hit theaters nationwide on July 23, 2026, via Utopia. Prior to the film’s official launch, early screenings will be held at various locations, beginning with the Bearsville Theatre in Woodstock, N.Y., on May 28. Following the June 4 Brooklyn Bowl event, screenings will take place on June 7 at Garcia’s at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, N.Y., and on June 18 at the Stone Church in Brattleboro, Vt.
The final early screenings are scheduled for June 25 at the Brooklyn Bowl in Nashville, Tenn., and July 9 at Garcia’s in Chicago. Tickets are available at summertour.utopia.film.
Watch the official trailer for Summer Tour below.