SANTA MONICA—On Friday, May 1, the annual Santa Monica International Jazz Festival starts May 1 and runs thru May 9 on Third Street Promenade and at Tongva Park and BroadStage. The event kicks off a summer full of events for all ages and interests.
The Santa Monica International Jazz Festival, a partnership between BroadStage, SM Festivals, and the city of Santa Monica, brings to life the shared vision of legendary musician Stanley Clarke and BroadStage to restore premier live music to the “City by the Sea.”
The festival begins with a free community concert on Third Street Promenade on May 3 from 1-7 p.m., featuring performances from bassist Billy Mohler, magnetic KNOWER frontwoman Genevieve Artadi, and pianist/vocalist Elijah Fox.
The main event is a ticketed concert on May 9 at Tongva Park from 1-7 p.m., with food, drinks and performances from Grammy winner and LA native Kamasi Washington, as well as Stanley Clarke and Friends, Miles Electric Band, KNOWER and Sam Smylie.
The Santa Monica International Jazz Festival is the first of various events the city will host this summer.
Up next is the Michelob ULTRA Pitchside Club at Santa Monica Pier kicking off a host of free activations, watch parties and family-friendly events as part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup from June 11-July 19.
Following that:
-Celebrate Pride Month in Santa Monica throughout June, with events at the Pier, Annenberg Community Beach House and, of course, the fan favorite annual Pride on the Promenade festival on June 13.
-Santa Monica’s Juneteenth celebration will be bigger than ever this year, with two events produced by Art of Recovery producing partners Go As If Productions and Christy Roberts Berkowitz taking place at the Miles Memorial Playhouse and Reed Park on June 19 and Virgina Avenue Park for the 34th year on June 20.
-On June 21, the city will launch its inaugural Make Music Santa Monica! Transforming Santa Monica’s public spaces into welcoming stages for free, participatory music-making.
-Santa Monica’s first Make Music Day will be anchored by a Play Day in the Park at the Miles Memorial Playhouse in Reed Park and a signature celebration near the Downtown Santa Monica Metro Station featuring live music, hands-on workshops, and soccer-inspired activations in honor of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
-Celebrate America’s 250th birthday and the 100th anniversary of the iconic Route 66 “Mother Road” with the annual Santa Monica Fourth of July Parade on Main Street, as well as a brand new Fourth of July event by producer Revel Republic.
-The Pier 360 Beach Festival on June 27 and 28 showcases the best of beach life with ocean sports competitions, live music, food and drinks, interactive games and more.
-Santa Monica’s State of the City event, re-envisioned last year to be a fun celebration of community, will return on July 23 with live entertainment, kids’ activities, food, drinks and more, this year at Ocean Park Branch Library and Main Street.
There will be a two-day ticketed music festival by Coachella producers Goldenvoice on the beach in September and the community can expect opportunities for free music, culture and fun leading up to the event—more details to come soon.
Find more events and information about Santa Monica’s summer lineup at www.santamonica.gov/programs/summer.
By Danny Jones