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Ocean Way Festival Canceled After Hurricane Marie-Induced Beach Erosion
A sun‑lit weekend of music and sunset was erased by the surf. On Friday, September 11, the City of Santa Monica announced that the inaugural Ocean Way Festival, slated for September 26‑27 on its beach, would be called off because Hurricane Marie’s waves had stripped the shoreline of its sand.
Goldenvoice, the promoter behind Coachella, had unveiled the two‑day event in July as a car‑free, beachfront celebration. The lineup boasted The Killers and Olivia Dean as headline acts, with Khruangbin, Sublime, Jack White and several other performers slated to perform under the open sky. The organizers had even built pathways to keep crowds off the sand, while still offering the option to stroll on the beach. The festival’s design was meant to showcase Santa Monica’s sunsets, pier, art, culture, design and wellness.
In an email to ticket holders and a series of social‑media posts, Goldenvoice stated: “Due to the impacts of Hurricane Marie, the City of Santa Monica has canceled the inaugural Ocean Way festival. Storm surf and runoff has caused significant beach erosion and the festival can no longer be safely held as planned.” The company added that refunds were being processed automatically and that no further action was required. AXS, the ticketing platform, has also listed the event as canceled.
Nic Adler, Goldenvoice’s vice president of regional festivals, explained the logistical challenges of staging a large‑scale event directly on the sand. “We were excited to spend a weekend together on The Beach, but can share that plans are already underway to bring the festival to Santa Monica in 2027,” Adler said. He noted that the team had spent two to three days a week in Santa Monica in the months leading up to the festival, working with the lifeguard, harbor master and other city officials to address issues such as piers, tides and beach erosion.
Hurricane Marie, a Category 2 storm that made landfall along the California coast earlier this week, produced rough seas and heavy surf that accelerated erosion along Santa Monica’s shoreline. The city’s decision to cancel follows a pattern of beach‑side events being disrupted by the storm. The LA Jazz Festival, another major beachside music event, was canceled on August 7 after organizers cited public‑safety and permitting costs. Both cancellations underscore the vulnerability of coastal festivals to weather‑related damage.
Ocean Way was the second major beach‑side music festival in the Los Angeles area to be canceled in 2026. The promoter, which has built a reputation for large‑scale festivals such as Coachella, had positioned Ocean Way as a new platform for live music, food, wellness and design on the Santa Monica beach. The festival’s cancellation means that the city, the promoter and ticket holders will need to navigate refunds and potential rescheduling. Goldenvoice has indicated that it is already planning to return the festival to Santa Monica in 2027.
At present, ticket holders are receiving automatic refunds through AXS, and no further action is required. The city of Santa Monica has not announced a new date for the festival, but Goldenvoice’s statement that plans are underway suggests that the event may resume next year. The cancellation highlights the need for coastal event planners to account for weather‑related risks and the importance of collaboration with local authorities to ensure safety and sustainability.
Goldenvoice, the promoter behind Coachella, had unveiled the two‑day event in July as a car‑free, beachfront celebration. The lineup boasted The Killers and Olivia Dean as headline acts, with Khruangbin, Sublime, Jack White and several other performers slated to perform under the open sky. The organizers had even built pathways to keep crowds off the sand, while still offering the option to stroll on the beach. The festival’s design was meant to showcase Santa Monica’s sunsets, pier, art, culture, design and wellness.
In an email to ticket holders and a series of social‑media posts, Goldenvoice stated: “Due to the impacts of Hurricane Marie, the City of Santa Monica has canceled the inaugural Ocean Way festival. Storm surf and runoff has caused significant beach erosion and the festival can no longer be safely held as planned.” The company added that refunds were being processed automatically and that no further action was required. AXS, the ticketing platform, has also listed the event as canceled.
Nic Adler, Goldenvoice’s vice president of regional festivals, explained the logistical challenges of staging a large‑scale event directly on the sand. “We were excited to spend a weekend together on The Beach, but can share that plans are already underway to bring the festival to Santa Monica in 2027,” Adler said. He noted that the team had spent two to three days a week in Santa Monica in the months leading up to the festival, working with the lifeguard, harbor master and other city officials to address issues such as piers, tides and beach erosion.
Hurricane Marie, a Category 2 storm that made landfall along the California coast earlier this week, produced rough seas and heavy surf that accelerated erosion along Santa Monica’s shoreline. The city’s decision to cancel follows a pattern of beach‑side events being disrupted by the storm. The LA Jazz Festival, another major beachside music event, was canceled on August 7 after organizers cited public‑safety and permitting costs. Both cancellations underscore the vulnerability of coastal festivals to weather‑related damage.
Ocean Way was the second major beach‑side music festival in the Los Angeles area to be canceled in 2026. The promoter, which has built a reputation for large‑scale festivals such as Coachella, had positioned Ocean Way as a new platform for live music, food, wellness and design on the Santa Monica beach. The festival’s cancellation means that the city, the promoter and ticket holders will need to navigate refunds and potential rescheduling. Goldenvoice has indicated that it is already planning to return the festival to Santa Monica in 2027.
At present, ticket holders are receiving automatic refunds through AXS, and no further action is required. The city of Santa Monica has not announced a new date for the festival, but Goldenvoice’s statement that plans are underway suggests that the event may resume next year. The cancellation highlights the need for coastal event planners to account for weather‑related risks and the importance of collaboration with local authorities to ensure safety and sustainability.