SANTA MONICA—The brand new “Ocean Way Festival” based in Santa Monica was cancelled on Friday, September 11 as a result of the impact of Hurricane Marie caused storm surf and runoff from a storm drain outfall eroded a large portion of the festival site over Labor Day weekend.
The festival included headliners The Killers and Olivia Dean, as well as artists Jack White, Khruangbin, Durand Jones & Indications, Sublime, 54 Ultra, Hiatus Kaiyote, Alvvays, SG Lewis, BLOND:ISH, Poolside, Hot Chips DJs and more.
Ocean Way Festival was expected to take place September 26 thru September 27. Organizers have been proactive sending out emails to the ticket holders about the cancellation.
The city of Santa Monica indicated the beach can no longer safely accommodate the festival production and audience capacity, and with construction and load-in set to begin next week, the city determined that cancellation was the only responsible option.
Plans are already underway to bring the Ocean Way Festival back to Santa Monica in 2027.
Santa Monica is one of the Southern California cities that are going through coastal erosions at beaches, damaged seawalls and have put homes at risks. They are prepared for more severe weather spinoffs.
“While we share everyone’s disappointment that the show can’t go on this year, we fully support the City’s decision to prioritize safety, and we believe canceling for 2026 is the right call,” said Goldenvoice Chief Operating Officer Melissa Ormond. “We are committed to returning to Santa Monica in 2027 and delivering the Ocean Way Festival experience we envisioned for the community, artists and fans.”
All tickets purchased for the 2026 Ocean Way Festival will be fully refunded. Refunds will be automatically processed from point of purchase.
Por Adrian Betton