Overview
- The City of Santa Monica formally canceled Goldenvoice’s inaugural Ocean Way on Friday after a city site assessment found the beach could not safely host the Sept. 26–27 festival.
- Officials said waves up to several feet and runoff from the Pico‑Kenter storm drain cut through the southern footprint, forcing a roughly 96‑foot inland setback and moving the festival’s southern boundary about 500 feet north.
- City staff concluded the combined loss of usable sand prevented building stages, emergency-vehicle access, load-in routes and safe crowd circulation for tens of thousands of attendees.
- Goldenvoice and ticketing partner AXS will process automatic refunds for pass holders within a few business days and organizers say they intend to try to return in 2027.
- The cancellation follows other 2026 beach‑festival failures and major weather disruptions to live events, raising near-term risks for coastal shows and creating economic uncertainty for Santa Monica businesses counting on the festival weekend.