Goldenvoice Announces Santa Monica Ocean Way Festival

Photo Credit: Goldenvoice

The Killers and Olivia Dean headline the first Santa Monica Beach music festival in September, with sets from Jack White, Sublime, and Khruangbin.

On Thursday, Goldenvoice announced the headliners and other performers at the inaugural Ocean Way Festival, the first major music festival to take place on Santa Monica Beach, on September 26 and 27. Headliners Olivia Dean and The Killers will be joined by Jack White, Sublime, Khruangbin, Alvvays, SG Lewis, 54 Ultra, Hot Chip, DJ Harvey, Austin Millz, Nala, Durand Jones & The Indications, Hiatus Kaiyote, BLOND:ISH, Poolside, Carlita, Good Neighbours, Vandelux, and Coco & Breezy.

The general onsale begins on Thursday, July 23, at 11 AM PT. A presale for Santa Monica residents begins on Wednesday, July 22, at 11 AM PT. Hotel packages and access to the festival’s Proper Beach Club are on sale today (July 16).

Two-day general admission passes start at $399, including access to all general admission areas, both stages, shaded seating areas, and food and beverage vendors. Two-day Premium Pit passes start at $749 and add access to a dedicated bar, flushable restrooms, and an elevated viewing deck near the main stage. Hotel packages bundling tickets with lodging and transportation are also available, and payment plan options are also on offer.

The festival will feature a main stage hosting five acts per day and a second stage designed for a more intimate setting. There will also be a mix of standing room and open blanket areas so people can lounge the way folks normally do at the beach, according to organizers. The Proper Beach Club, a beachfront hospitality area developed with Proper Hotels, will include a private lounge designed by Kelly Wearstler Studio.

The event is designed as a “transit-first” affair with no on-site parking. Metro’s E Line stops near the festival entrance, and Big Blue Bus and shuttle services will also be available, as well as bike valet and other micro-mobility options.

The City of Santa Monica selected Goldenvoice, a subsidiary of AEG Presents, through a competitive process to develop the festival as part of the city’s Realignment Plan, a civic investment effort that focuses on public safety, business growth, and cultural programming. City officials said the festival will serve as the cultural anchor of “The Sandbox on the Beach,” a newly designated beachfront district for major civic events that will also host activations tied to the FIFA World Cup 2026, Super Bowl LXI, and the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“Santa Monica is in the middle of a renaissance. The city is welcoming the world to its shores, and Ocean Way Festival is how we’re making sure our own community is at the center of it,” said Mayor Caroline Torosis.

“Santa Monica has an incredible music history, and Goldenvoice has been fortunate to be part of that story,” said Nic Adler, Goldenvoice’s Vice President of regional festivals. “From legendary shows at the Civic Auditorium to the origins of Ocean Way Recording just steps from the beach, there’s a creative legacy here that’s unlike anywhere else. Ocean Way Festival is our opportunity to celebrate that history while building something that feels authentically Santa Monica for years to come.”

The Santa Monica City Council approved preliminary agreements last year to partner with Goldenvoice on the festival. Its footprint will include the beach, the Pier parking deck, and portions of adjacent beach parking lots, with the main stage positioned at the base of the Pier. The festival will be held entirely on the sand and is distinctly separate from the city’s Twilight Concert Series, which is based on the Pier. The Pier itself is notably undergoing major renovations.

In the weeks leading up to the festival, organizers said they would hold free events throughout Santa Monica, including concerts, beach cleanups, leadership programs for local high school and college students, and youth surf and water safety programming, as well as partnerships with local businesses.