Ocean Way Festival will debut on Santa Monica Beach Sept. 26 and 27, bringing The Killers, Olivia Dean, Jack White, Khruangbin, Sublime and more to a two-stage Goldenvoice event. The beachfront location and absence of on-site festival parking make the lineup, transit plan and effects on public beach access central to the inaugural event.
Key Takeaways
- Ocean Way Festival is scheduled for Sept. 26 and 27, 2026, on the sand between the Santa Monica Pier and Bay Street.
- The Killers headline Saturday, with Jack White, Sublime, Alvvays, SG Lewis and other acts on the bill.
- Olivia Dean leads Sunday, joined by Khruangbin, Durand Jones & The Indications, Hiatus Kaiyote, Poolside and additional performers.
- The festival will have no on-site parking by design, with Metro, buses, shuttles, bicycles and micromobility options promoted for access.
- Santa Monica says the pier, Ocean Front Walk and beach areas outside the festival footprint will remain accessible during the event.
Ocean Way Festival Brings Goldenvoice to Santa Monica Beach
Goldenvoice is preparing to launch Ocean Way Festival as a new two-day music event on Santa Monica Beach on Sept. 26 and 27. The event will take place directly south of the Santa Monica Pier, with performances spread across two stages.
Goldenvoice describes Ocean Way as the first major music festival on Santa Monica Beach. The company is producing the event with support from the City of Santa Monica, which has identified the festival as part of its broader effort to bring major cultural programming to the beachfront.
The festival grounds will stretch across the sand between the pier and Bay Street. The main stage will use the Santa Monica Pier as its backdrop, while a second stage will provide another performance area within the ticketed site.
The beachfront setting places Ocean Way within a location that has already hosted music, arts and community events, including a previous Santa Monica Pier event that combined live performances with other cultural programming.
The Killers and Olivia Dean Lead Separate Festival Days
The Ocean Way Festival lineup divides its biggest names across the two-day schedule rather than concentrating them on a single bill.
The Killers headline Saturday, Sept. 26. AXS lists Jack White, Sublime, Alvvays, SG Lewis, 54 Ultra, Hot Chip DJs, DJ Harvey, Austin Millz and Nala among the other Saturday performers.
Olivia Dean leads the Sunday, Sept. 27, lineup. Khruangbin, Durand Jones & The Indications, Hiatus Kaiyote, Poolside, Carlita, Good Neighbours, Vandelux, Coco & Breezy and Erez are also listed for the second day.
Goldenvoice’s wider festival announcement also named performers including BLOND:ISH and Heidi Lawden as part of the inaugural Ocean Way roster.
The confirmed schedule broadens the event considerably beyond its five most prominent names. Rock, indie, soul and electronic performers are represented across the two days, with separate single-day tickets as well as two-day access available.
The Beachfront Site Shapes the Festival Format
Ocean Way Festival differs from a conventional arena or amphitheater event because the performances will take place directly on the sand.
The ticketed area will run from the southern edge of the Santa Monica Pier toward Bay Street. City preparations call for fencing around the festival footprint, while Ocean Front Walk and the surrounding beach outside the enclosed grounds are expected to remain accessible.
Ocean Way is not the only Southern California festival built around a coastal location. A Redondo Beach music festival has similarly used the region’s waterfront as a setting for a multi-day live music event.
Goldenvoice is positioning the Santa Monica setting as part of Ocean Way’s identity rather than simply as a venue choice. The festival takes its name from Ocean Way, the Santa Monica street associated with the recording studio founded by Allen Sides more than four decades ago.
Nic Adler, Goldenvoice vice president of regional festivals, connected the event directly to that history.
“Santa Monica has an incredible music history, and Goldenvoice has been fortunate to be part of that story,” Adler said.
Ocean Way Festival Uses a Transit-First Access Plan
Transportation will be one of the most important practical differences between Ocean Way Festival and events built around large parking areas.
Goldenvoice says there will be no on-site festival parking by design. Attendees are instead being directed toward public transportation, buses, shuttles, bicycles and other alternatives for reaching the beachfront site.
Metro’s E Line terminates near the festival entrance. Big Blue Bus and shuttle services are also identified as transportation options, while bike valet and micromobility are incorporated into the event’s access plan.
That distinction makes the description of Ocean Way as “car-free” worth clarifying. Cars are not prohibited throughout Santa Monica during the festival. Rather, the event itself does not provide dedicated on-site parking, making alternative transportation a central part of attendance planning.
The arrangement is closely tied to the festival’s physical footprint on the beach, where the event grounds occupy space normally used for public recreation rather than a conventional parking complex.
Santa Monica Plans Beach Access Around the Event
The City of Santa Monica has released a detailed schedule for construction, festival operations and reopening of the beachfront area.
Initial load-in work is scheduled to begin during the week of Sept. 14. The main setup period follows during the week of Sept. 21, when a perimeter fence is expected to be installed around the festival footprint.
During festival weekend, Ocean Front Walk will remain open to pedestrians. A bike dismount zone will operate near the festival boundary, while temporary bike path rerouting will remain in effect.
The beach outside the enclosed festival site will also remain open to the public. Public restrooms along Ocean Front Walk are expected to remain available, with additional facilities planned during the event.
Festival hours are scheduled from noon to 11 p.m. Saturday and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday. The city says sound checks are expected between 9 a.m. and noon on both days.
The Festival Extends Beyond the Concert Lineup
Goldenvoice’s plans for Ocean Way Festival include programming beyond the two ticketed music days.
The organizer has announced related activities in Santa Monica that include free concerts, beach cleanups, leadership programs for local high school and college students, youth surf and water safety programming, and partnerships with local businesses.
The broader programming reinforces the event’s connection to the city while also giving Ocean Way a presence outside the fenced festival grounds.
The City of Santa Monica has also positioned the festival within a larger beachfront events strategy. Goldenvoice was selected through a competitive process to develop the event, according to the city’s announcement.
Ocean Way Adds a Major September Event to Santa Monica
Ocean Way Festival will bring a two-day Goldenvoice event directly onto Santa Monica Beach at the end of September, with separate headliners, an expanded multi-genre lineup and a transportation plan built without on-site festival parking.
For attendees, the key logistical points are the Sept. 26 and 27 dates, the changing lineup by day and the emphasis on transit or other alternatives to parking at the venue. For residents and beach visitors, the city says areas outside the festival footprint will remain accessible, although temporary routing and setup changes will affect portions of the waterfront.
The Ocean Way Festival debut therefore represents both a new entry on Southern California’s music calendar and a significant temporary use of Santa Monica’s public beachfront.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Ocean Way Festival in Santa Monica?
Ocean Way Festival is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 26, and Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. The festival begins at noon on both days, with scheduled operations ending at 11 p.m. Saturday and 10 p.m. Sunday.
Who is performing at Ocean Way Festival?
The Killers headline Saturday with Jack White, Sublime, Alvvays and other performers. Olivia Dean headlines Sunday with Khruangbin, Durand Jones & The Indications, Hiatus Kaiyote and additional acts.
Where will Ocean Way Festival take place?
The festival will take place directly on Santa Monica Beach between the Santa Monica Pier and Bay Street. Its main stage will be positioned with the pier as a backdrop.
Will Ocean Way Festival have on-site parking?
No dedicated on-site festival parking is planned. Organizers are encouraging Metro, Big Blue Bus, shuttles, bicycles and micromobility options for reaching the event.
Will Santa Monica Beach remain open during the festival?
Yes. The City of Santa Monica says the pier, Ocean Front Walk and beach areas outside the designated Ocean Way Festival footprint will remain accessible, although temporary bike routing and other operational changes will be in effect.
