Why was the September 26–27, 2026 event canceled?
The City of Santa Monica and Goldenvoice announced on September 11, 2026, that the Ocean Way Festival would not take place on September 26–27, 2026. This was a decision to cancel the 2026 event, rather than an adjustment to part of the performance schedule.
The City of Santa Monica explained that swells from Hurricane Marie and storm-drain runoff eroded the event site over Labor Day weekend. As a result, officials determined that safe event production and audience capacity could not be maintained, according to the official announcement.
How did beach erosion change the safety requirements?
According to the city’s official announcement, beach erosion required the safety line to be moved 96 feet inland. This meant that both the usable beach area and the standards for maintaining safety differed from the original plan.
Runoff from the Pico-Kenter Storm Drain also affected the event area. As a result, the southern boundary of the event site had to be moved approximately 500 feet north. Santa Monica determined that safe production and audience capacity were not possible under conditions requiring simultaneous changes to the event boundaries and safety standards.
The extent of the damage and the festival cancellation should not be confused with a shutdown of the Santa Monica Pier. The city’s official announcement stated that the pier itself was not damaged and would remain open.
Refund measures for 2026 ticket buyers
Tickets purchased for 2026 will be automatically refunded in full through the point of purchase. The refunds apply to tickets for the canceled 2026 event, and the City of Santa Monica and Goldenvoice announced that refunds would be processed automatically through ticket sellers.
The Los Angeles Times reported that organizers said refunds would be processed within five to seven business days. This is the processing timeframe provided by the organizers and does not mean that the funds have already reached every buyer’s account. Buyers should check the status of their automatic refund with the seller from which they purchased their tickets.
This cancellation concerns the 2026 performances and their refunds. Information about 2027 ticket sales will be announced once the details are finalized.
What has been confirmed about the lineup and the 2027 relaunch plans?
When the official announcement was made in July 2026, The Killers and Olivia Dean were introduced as the Ocean Way Festival headliners. Jack White, Khruangbin, and Sublime were also included in the lineup at that time. These details refer to the lineup announced officially in July 2026.
The organizers said that plans to bring Ocean Way Festival back to Santa Monica in 2027 were already underway. Goldenvoice said that the date, program, and ticket-sale information for the 2027 event would be announced once the details were finalized.
Therefore, the only point that can currently be stated with certainty is that plans to relaunch the festival in Santa Monica in 2027 are underway. The specific date, program and performers, and ticket-sale information have not yet been officially finalized. The 2026 cancellation and automatic full ticket refunds are confirmed current measures, while 2027 attendance information should be checked against subsequent official announcements.