Beach Repairs Begin as the City Readies for ESPN’s Super Bowl Week, Ocean Way 2027, and the LA28 Games

September 16, 2026 5:13 PM

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Sept. 17, 2026) - The City of Santa Monica began repairs to the beach south of the Pier this week, where impacts from Hurricane Marie over Labor Day weekend eroded the site of the inaugural Ocean Way Festival, forcing the cancellation of the event. The beach and the Pier are open, and the City's Public Works crews are engaged in restoration and preventative maintenance efforts as Santa Monica prepares its shoreline for a series of major events that will take place over the next two years, including:

• ESPN's Super Bowl LXI coverage live from Santa Monica in February 2027
• The return of the Ocean Way Festival with Goldenvoice in 2027
• Hosting the world in Santa Monica during the LA28 Games in 2028

Efforts to repair the beach are focused on addressing impacts caused by the storm. First, storm surf stripped sand from the beach south of the Pier, pushing the high-tide water line 96 feet inland of the Ocean Way Festival's planned fire lane. In addition, runoff through the Pico-Kenter Storm Drain outfall cut a channel across the southern end of the festival site, where the event's main entrance was to be located. Together, those two impacts left no footprint that could safely hold a two-week build and a two-day festival for tens of thousands of people, as load-in and construction activities for the Ocean Way Festival were scheduled to begin on Sept. 14.

"It is massively disappointing that coastal erosion caused by Hurricane Marie impacted our beach to such an extent that we could not safely host the Ocean Way Festival," said City Manager Oliver Chi. "Fortunately, the beach is open, the Pier never closed, and our focus now is on repairing the damage as soon as possible."

* A fact sheet with photographs, links to drone video, and site plan impacts is available here .

Beach Repairs Underway

Public Works maintenance crews have begun work to repair damage that was sustained south of the Pier. Key activities being undertaken include:

• Moving sand from other areas of the beach to the Pico-Kenter outfall area with the City's front loader and dump truck and regrading the area with a tractor and rake.
• Building a protective berm along the water's edge ahead of the upcoming king tide and full moon.
• Opening and maintaining all five beach storm drains ahead of the anticipated El Niño winter, so that runoff drains to the ocean without cutting new channels across the sand.
• Coordinating with Los Angeles County and private contractors to bring in larger equipment that can grade the sand more quickly.
• Evaluating whether additional sand will need to be imported.

February 2027: Super Bowl Week, Live From Santa Monica

Repair efforts are being undertaken in advance of additional major events set to be hosted in Santa Monica. In February, ESPN will base its Super Bowl LXI coverage at ESPN Beach in the City, with daily programming live from the Pier beginning Monday, Feb. 8, and free fan activations in the days leading up to the Feb. 14 game at SoFi Stadium.

Ocean Way Returns in 2027

The City and Goldenvoice are already working on developing logistics to launch the inaugural Ocean Way Festival in 2027. That work includes evaluating site options and festival layout considerations for next year's event.

Ocean Way Festival was developed as a partnership between the City and Goldenvoice, producer of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival and Stagecoach Festival, as Santa Monica's first major music festival. Goldenvoice will announce dates, programming, and ticketing for the 2027 Ocean Way Festival when details are available, and the event is anticipated to feature a two-day, all-ages spectacle featuring live music, local artists, food, and community programming on the beach adjacent to the Santa Monica Pier.

2028: Welcoming the World

During the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Santa Monica will serve as host to a number of hospitality houses, welcoming national delegations, athletes, and fans from around the world. With Club France and House of Switzerland already announced, and many more national teams engaged in discussions with the City, Santa Monica is establishing itself as a hub for hospitality houses during the Games. Restoring and protecting the beach is part of the City's workplan as we prepare to welcome the world in 2028.

The Beach is Open

The beach in Santa Monica is open and safe for everyday use, and the Santa Monica Pier was not damaged during the storm and was never closed. Of note, the Pier is set to host the Swiss Winter Village, which will run from Nov. 14 through Jan. 3. Additional details can be found here.

Media Contact

Brandon Powers
Chief Communications and Public Affairs Officer
[email protected]

Categories

Arts, Culture & Fun, Beach, Strategic Priorities, Your City Hall