Santa Monica Cancels Ocean Way Festival After Beach Erosion

Santa Monica and Goldenvoice canceled the inaugural Ocean Way Festival on September 11, 2026, after storm-damaged beach conditions made the planned site unsafe for the September 26–27 event.

The decision came 15 days before the scheduled festival and affects ticket buyers, artists, event workers and businesses that had planned around the two-day concert. Organizers said all 2026 tickets will be automatically refunded through the original point of purchase.

Why the festival site was canceled

The planned venue was on the beach south of the Santa Monica Pier. City officials said storm surf linked to Hurricane Marie, along with runoff from the Pico-Kenter Storm Drain outfall, eroded the area designated for the festival.

The pier itself was not damaged and remains open.

According to the city’s assessment, the shoreline setback would have needed to move 96 feet inland, while the festival’s southern boundary would have shifted about 500 feet north. Those changes would have significantly reduced the usable event footprint.

City staff reviewed sand conditions, emergency-vehicle access, construction and load-in requirements, crowd circulation, tides and the extended forecast before concluding that the remaining site could not safely support the planned production and audience capacity.

Weather conditions raised safety concerns

National Weather Service records for the Los Angeles and Ventura County coast described a Marie-related south swell, hazardous surf and coastal impacts. Advisories warned of breaking waves of about 4 to 7 feet, locally higher sets, dangerous rip currents and a risk of coastal flooding.

Hurricane Marie remained offshore. The available weather record does not describe the storm making landfall in Southern California. Instead, its swell and associated moisture contributed to conditions that affected the beach site.

The cancellation shows how coastal conditions can affect large outdoor concerts even when a tropical system stays offshore. Erosion, runoff, shifting boundaries, construction access, emergency routes and crowd movement can all determine whether an event can proceed.

What ticket holders should expect

Santa Monica said ticket buyers will receive a full automatic refund from the original seller. Refunds are to be processed automatically, but the timing and the date the money appears in a bank or credit-card account may vary by point of purchase.

Ticket holders should monitor the account, email address or payment method connected to the original transaction. They should not need to submit a separate refund request unless the ticket seller provides different instructions.

What happens next

Goldenvoice and the city said they intend to bring Ocean Way back in 2027. No 2027 dates, lineup, permits or ticketing details have been announced.

The stated return is therefore not a new event schedule. Fans should wait for formal announcements before making travel plans or purchasing tickets.

For other outdoor festival organizers, the episode underscores the need to account for changing coastal conditions, weather contingencies, emergency access and construction windows well before gates open. For Santa Monica, the immediate result is a canceled 2026 festival, automatic refunds and a possible return next year under conditions that have yet to be determined.

Sources

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