Now entering its seventh year, BeachLife Festival has carved out a distinct lane among West Coast festivals by leaning into classic California beach culture rather than massive desert sprawl. For San Diego fans, that ethos has long made BeachLife feel like a natural extension of the region’s own laid-back coastal identity, drawing thousands from neighborhoods stretching from La Jolla to North County and beyond.
The 2026 lineup is led by a diverse group of headliners that span generations, including Duran Duran, The Offspring, and James Taylor, whose All-Star Band will close out Sunday night. Also topping the bill are The Chainsmokers, My Morning Jacket, Slightly Stoopid, Sheryl Crow, Ben Harper, Joan Jett, Grouplove, and Peach Pit.
The festival’s genre-spanning approach has proven especially appealing to San Diego audiences, many of whom grew up on punk, alternative, reggae, and surf-adjacent sounds that remain deeply woven into the city’s live music DNA. Saturday’s lineup alone reads like a Southern California time capsule, pairing The Offspring and Slightly Stoopid with Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Sugar Ray, Switchfoot, and Fortunate Youth - artists whose touring histories are tightly linked to San Diego stages over the years.
Beyond the music, BeachLife continues to emphasize curated food, beverage, and lifestyle experiences that go well beyond standard festival fare. Returning for 2026 is the California Surf Club, an elevated VIP dining experience overlooking the ocean, along with the Captain’s Culinary Experience, which brings chef-driven menus into a private lounge setting. These premium offerings have helped position BeachLife as a festival that caters as much to comfort and atmosphere as it does to crowd energy.
Beyond the music, BeachLife continues to emphasize curated food, beverage, and lifestyle experiences that go well beyond standard festival fare. Returning for 2026 is the California Surf Club, an elevated VIP dining experience overlooking the ocean, along with the Captain’s Culinary Experience, which brings chef-driven menus into a private lounge setting. These premium offerings have helped position BeachLife as a festival that caters as much to comfort and atmosphere as it does to crowd energy.
New for 2026, organizers are introducing the Industry Sky Deck, a shared premium suite overlooking the HighTide main stage designed for smaller groups, brand partners, and music-industry guests. The addition reflects BeachLife’s continued evolution toward a more polished, hospitality-forward festival model—one that mirrors the direction of many coastal events attracting older, more experience-focused audiences.
BeachLife founder Allen Sanford says the festival’s mission remains rooted in celebrating California’s coastal lifestyle through music, food, and community. That focus has helped the event grow steadily since its 2019 debut, while maintaining a scale that feels approachable compared to mega-festivals further inland. In 2025, BeachLife welcomed more than 35,000 attendees and featured performances from Lenny Kravitz, Sublime, Alanis Morissette, CAKE, Mt. Joy, and Jackson Browne, among others.
For San Diego residents, BeachLife’s Redondo Beach location - roughly a two to three hour drive depending on traffic - has become part of its appeal, offering a festival escape without flights, camping logistics, or extreme heat. Many local fans treat the weekend as a coastal road trip, combining live music with beach time, dining, and hotel stays along the South Bay.
Tickets for BeachLife Festival 2026 are on sale now, with options ranging from single-day general admission passes to ultra-premium Captain, Admiral, and Industry Sky Deck packages. General admission tickets start at $169 for single-day entry and $409 for three-day passes, while VIP and all-inclusive tiers climb significantly higher depending on amenities and access.
BeachLife Festival 2026 takes place May 1–3 along the waterfront in Redondo Beach. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit beachlifefestival.com.
BeachLife founder Allen Sanford says the festival’s mission remains rooted in celebrating California’s coastal lifestyle through music, food, and community. That focus has helped the event grow steadily since its 2019 debut, while maintaining a scale that feels approachable compared to mega-festivals further inland. In 2025, BeachLife welcomed more than 35,000 attendees and featured performances from Lenny Kravitz, Sublime, Alanis Morissette, CAKE, Mt. Joy, and Jackson Browne, among others.
For San Diego residents, BeachLife’s Redondo Beach location - roughly a two to three hour drive depending on traffic - has become part of its appeal, offering a festival escape without flights, camping logistics, or extreme heat. Many local fans treat the weekend as a coastal road trip, combining live music with beach time, dining, and hotel stays along the South Bay.
Tickets for BeachLife Festival 2026 are on sale now, with options ranging from single-day general admission passes to ultra-premium Captain, Admiral, and Industry Sky Deck packages. General admission tickets start at $169 for single-day entry and $409 for three-day passes, while VIP and all-inclusive tiers climb significantly higher depending on amenities and access.
BeachLife Festival 2026 takes place May 1–3 along the waterfront in Redondo Beach. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit beachlifefestival.com.
Originally published on January 16, 2026.
