The storm took its first life among those gathered at the festival, with the ocean’s force so great that it drove people from the sands of Santa Monica’s inaugural Ocean Way Festival has been canceled due to storm surf and runoff that reshaped the city’, leaving no choice but to cancel the whole event.
Festival officials announced the news on Friday via social media. A statement said that “storm surf and runoff has caused significant beach erosion and the festival can no longer be safely held as planned.” The message added that plans to bring the festival to Santa Monica next year are already underway and that refunds for tickets, which ran from $249 to $2,250, are being processed automatically.
“Storm surf and runoff has caused significant beach erosion and the festival can no longer be safely held as planned.”
The lineup for next year’s event has not been updated. The festival, based in Santa Monica, was initially scheduled for Sept. 26 through Sept. 27, with performances from the Killers and Olivia Dean serving as headliners. Jack White, Alvvays, Sublime, Khruangbin, Hiatus Kaiyote, and Durand Jones & the Indications were also listed among the performers, along with dance/electronic acts including SG Lewis, Blond:ish, and a DJ set from Hot Chip.
The festival’s location in Santa Monica put it near the damage from Hurricane Marie. Days of punishing waves intensified by the storm have pounded the region’s increasingly vulnerable coastline, leaving beaches barren of sand, damaging homes, and even opening a sinkhole at Nicholas Cage’s Malibu home.
The Damage From Hurricane Marie
Southern California endured days of punishing waves from Hurricane Marie, which reshaped beaches across the region. That erosion was so significant that it made the festival unsafe to hold, according to organizers.
The coastlines throughout the area have been stripped bare of their sand, leaving beaches empty. Houses have suffered damage, and the danger has reached a point where a sinkhole has opened up at Nicholas Cage’s Malibu property.
What was cited as the reason the event became unsafe was storm surf and runoff, which were given as the direct cause of the erosion.
Lineup That Now Never Plays
The first Ocean Way Festival brought together a solid group of acts. The Killers and Olivia Dean led the bill as headliners. Also on the lineup were Jack White, Alvvays, Sublime, Khruangbin, Hiatus Kaiyote, and Durand Jones & the Indications.
The lineup paired rock veterans with dance and electronic acts, including SG Lewis, Blond:ish, and a DJ set from Hot Chip. That combination pointed toward a festival aiming to reach a broad audience.
The lineup now exists only as evidence of what might have been, since the festival itself has been put off.
Refunds Are Coming Automatically
The organizers acted fast when it came to handling refunds. Ticket prices ranged from $249 to $2,250, and the announcement confirmed that refunds are being processed automatically.
Fans who purchased tickets on the upper end of the price range can now breathe easy, since an automatic refund process will put the money back into their accounts without requiring them to seek a resolution.
No timeframe was given for how soon refunds might come, and the statement made no mention of whether any ticket buyers could be left without a spot at next year’s event. Both of those questions remain unanswered.
What Next Year Brings
Organizers say plans for bringing the festival to Santa Monica next year are already moving forward, so the event is far from finished.
The bright side here is that the festival survives. It gets another year, although it is still not known whether the lineup will change.
There was no confirmation about which artists from this year’s booking might appear in the 2026 lineup. The two headliners were The Killers and Olivia Dean.
Coastal Festivals Face an Uncertain Future
This cancellation is not an isolated incident tied to the weather. Climate change has made the weather a growing concern for festivals, and Ocean Way Festival’s situation shows how quickly a storm can force a decision.
In August, Bonnaroo announced that the festival would be taking a break next summer. “As you know, we spent a great deal of effort and money working to improve the campgrounds and Centeroo in the months leading into the 2026 festival,” Bonnaroo said in a statement at the time. “That included improved drainage, 4.5 miles of new roadways, and 135 acres of new grass, all of which strengthened The Farm’s resiliency to Mother Nature. With limited time to recuperate from back to back years of storms, including the heavy rainstorm on Sunday this year, The Farm, particularly the main venue, needs a break to rest and recover.”
Bonnaroo’s decision was based on recovery needs after years of storms. Ocean Way Festival’s cancellation was based on immediate danger from Hurricane Marie.
It makes sense to compare the two situations. One festival decided to take a break after enduring years of bad weather; the other was closed down before its doors could open.
What We Know So Far
Here is what is confirmed about the cancellation:
- The festival is canceled due to beach erosion from Hurricane Marie.
- Refunds are being processed automatically for tickets ranging from $249 to $2,250.
- Plans for next year’s festival in Santa Monica are already underway.
- The lineup for next year has not been updated yet.
It has yet to be determined whether other coastal festivals will be impacted. The Ohana Festival in Dana Point is scheduled for later this month, and it is currently unknown if it will be threatened in the same way.
The circumstances remain in flux. Further details on next year’s schedule and repayment arrangements will probably arrive shortly.
The Verdict on This Cancellation
Everyone connected with this has been let down by the outcome. The people who purchased tickets to watch the Killers and Olivia Dean perform in Santa Monica will no longer be able to enjoy that show.
It was the correct choice to call off the event. Organizers cannot overlook a venue that has become unsafe due to beach erosion, and safety must always come before everything else.
The takeaway for now is straightforward: festivals run on slim profits, and the weather poses a larger threat than organizers care to acknowledge.
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