Ocean Way Festival Cancels First Annual Santa Monica Event After Hurricane Marie

Santa Monica’s inaugural Ocean Way Festival has been canceled after Hurricane Marie drove dangerous surf and runoff along Southern California’s coast.

Festival organizers announced the decision Friday on social media. In a statement, they said storm surf and runoff had caused substantial beach erosion, making it impossible to hold the event safely as planned.

Organizers said they are already considering plans to bring the festival back to Santa Monica next year. Refunds for tickets priced between $249 and $2,250 are being issued automatically.

No details were provided about whether next year’s lineup would change. The Santa Monica-based festival was scheduled for Sept. 26–27, with the Killers and Olivia Dean among its headliners. Jack White, Alvvays, Sublime, Khruangbin, Hiatus Kaiyote, and Durand Jones and the Indications were also set to perform, alongside SG Lewis, Blond:ish, and a Hot Chip DJ set.

It remains unclear whether other coastal festivals will be affected, including Ohana Festival in Dana Point later this month.

Several days of powerful waves amplified by Hurricane Marie have battered the region’s increasingly vulnerable coastline, stripping beaches of sand, damaging homes and even opening a sinkhole at Nicholas Cage’s Malibu property.

As climate change intensifies weather risks, festivals are facing growing concerns about extreme conditions. In August, Bonnaroo announced that it would take a break the following summer. The organizers said improved drainage, 4.5 miles of new roads and 135 acres of new grass had strengthened The Farm’s resilience, but repeated storms—including heavy rain the previous Sunday—left insufficient time to recover. They said the site, particularly the main venue, needed time to rest and repair.

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