The inaugural Ocean Way music festival planned for later this month on the beach in Santa Monica has been canceled because storm surf and runoff from Hurricane Marie caused significant beach erosion, organizers announced Friday, Sept. 11.
The two-day festival had been scheduled for Sept. 26-27, with headline performances by The Killers and Olivia Dean, along with Khruangbin, Sublime, Jack White and other artists.
In an email to ticket holders, organizers said the festival was canceled because of damage from Hurricane Marie.
“Due to the impacts of Hurricane Marie, the City of Santa Monica has canceled the inaugural Ocean Way festival,” organizers said. “Storm surf and runoff has caused significant beach erosion and the festival can no longer be safely held as planned. Plans are already underway to bring the festival back to Santa Monica in 2027.”
AXS, the festival’s ticketing platform, also lists the event as canceled.
Goldenvoice, the promoter behind the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, announced Ocean Way in July as a new beachfront music festival in Santa Monica.
Organizers had planned the festival as a car-free event, with concertgoers encouraged to use public transportation rather than drive to the beach.
Ocean Way is the second major beachside music festival in the Los Angeles area to be canceled this year.
The inaugural LA Jazz Festival was canceled Aug. 7, with organizers citing unexpected public safety and municipal permitting costs.
The festival had planned events throughout August, culminating in “Jazz on the Beach” concerts Aug. 22-23 at Dockweiler Beach featuring John Legend, Janelle Monáe, Parliament Funkadelic featuring George Clinton, Charlie Wilson, Raphael Saadiq and other artists.