The Ocean Way Festival, scheduled to take place on Santa Monica Beach on September 26-27, has been canceled following significant coastal erosion caused by recent hurricane-level storm surf and storm drain runoff during Labor Day weekend. City officials determined that damage to the festival site made it unsafe to proceed with the planned two-day event.
According to a statement from the city, Hurricane Marie and runoff from a storm drain outfall removed substantial amounts of sand from the beach south of the Pier. The erosion required organizers to move the festival’s safety setback 96 feet inland, while additional damage at the southern end of the site necessitated relocating the festival’s boundary approximately 500 feet northward. After assessing various factors including sand conditions, emergency access, construction requirements, crowd circulation, tides, and weather forecasts, city staff concluded that the remaining usable space was insufficient to safely accommodate the festival’s planned capacity of up to 45,000 attendees per day.
Ticketholders, who had purchased passes ranging from $249 to $2,250, will receive automatic refunds within 5-7 business days. The festival was designed to feature rock artists including the Killers, Jack White, and Sublime on Saturday, with acts such as Olivia Dean, Khruangbin, and Durand Jones & the Indications scheduled for Sunday.
Both Santa Monica city leadership and Goldenvoice, the festival’s promoter, expressed commitment to rescheduling the event. Santa Monica Mayor Caroline Torosis stated in a statement that prioritizing public safety was the determining factor, while Goldenvoice Chief Operating Officer Melissa Ormond affirmed the company’s support for the cancellation decision and confirmed plans to return to Santa Monica in 2027.
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