Goldenvoice is steering its new Ocean Way Festival straight onto Santa Monica Beach this September, a two-day, ticketed blowout rooted at the base of the Pier and pitched as something built from the city rather than dropped on top of it. On paper, the weekend pairs big-name music with a farmers market-style vendor strip, a locally designed beach club zone and community-minded programming that organizers say will benefit students and nearby parks.
The City of Santa Monica has already filed a Notice of Exemption describing a two-day festival on the sand, the Pier parking deck and parts of adjacent beach lots for September 2026, according to the City of Santa Monica. That CEQA filing and related council materials frame the deal as part of a broader Realignment Plan effort to bring major activations to the waterfront. The official paperwork lays out both the festival footprint and the September 2026 window.
Built From Santa Monica's Parts
Nic Adler, Goldenvoice's senior vice president of regional festivals, told the Santa Monica Daily Press that the team literally found the festival's name on a street corner and wanted the event to feel anchored in local history. "I was looking for a sign, for a name," Adler said, explaining that the Ocean Way moniker is meant to signal a Santa Monica-centric approach. Organizers say that idea carries through to programming that features Westside restaurants, a beach-club area designed with local partners, a farmers market-style vendor corridor and youth-focused high school and college days. The paper also reports that Goldenvoice's community commitments include free concerts at Reed Park and Tongva Park along with beach cleanups in partnership with Heal the Bay.
Fee, Footprint And City Payoff
Council materials and local reporting put the event's land-use license fee at about $1.34 million, with additional per-ticket revenue sharing flowing back to City Hall, according to Santa Monica Next. City budget documents tied to the Realignment Plan project that once the broader slate of major events and related measures is fully phased in, the waterfront activity could generate substantial spillover. The City of Santa Monica estimates roughly $24 million in annual economic activity after full implementation.
Coastal Permitting And Local Concerns
Not everyone is sold on the plan as a slam dunk. Local commentary and community outlets have raised flags about coastal permitting, public access and how far Santa Monica should lean into tourism-heavy events before neighborhood life starts to feel squeezed. Debates over AB 1740, a state bill that would let qualifying urban coastal cities self-administer certain routine coastal operations, have become part of the backdrop for these talks. Some argue the bill could make large waterfront activations easier to approve, while others worry about what gets lost if oversight shifts. Coverage from Malibu.FM and summaries of AB 1740 capture the range of concerns and policy trade-offs in play.
What To Watch Next
Goldenvoice has not yet dropped a lineup or ticket on-sale dates, but the promoter has already started floating the Ocean Way branding on social media and inviting fans to sign up for alerts. One teaser post even used Khruangbin's "People Everywhere (Still Alive)" as the soundtrack, according to the Santa Monica Daily Press. Organizers say they plan to prioritize local vendors and contractors where possible, and residents can expect more detailed briefings from both the promoter and city staff as the plan takes shape. For now, the festival's name and its emphasis on community programming are the clearest clues to what Goldenvoice has in mind for Santa Monica's shoreline.
