Everything You Need to Know For Ohana Fest 2026
The 2026 edition of Ohana Fest is being held Friday‚ September 25 through Sunday‚ September 27‚ 2026‚ at Doheny State Beach (25300 Dana Point Harbor Drive‚ Dana Point‚ California) on the sand․ It will be the 10th anniversary of the festival and is expected to feature more than 35 acts across three stages․
What started as a one-off‚ local experiment‚ Eddie Vedder's beach festival has grown into one of the most beloved weekends on the California music calendar‚ and now it's in our backyard․ Whether it's your first Ohana or your tenth‚ here's everything you need before you go: the lineup‚ where to park‚ what you can bring through the gate‚ what to wear when the sun goes down‚ and where to stay and eat while you're here․
When Is Ohana Fest 2026?
Ohana Fest 2026 runs Friday, September 25 to Sunday, September 27, 2026. It's a three-day festival, and it lands on the same late-September weekend nearly every year. Gates open at noon all three days. Music runs until 10:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and wraps a little earlier on Sunday at 10 p.m., so plan your last set accordingly, Sunday's closer starts and ends thirty minutes ahead of the pattern you'll have settled into by then.
Late September is one of the best-kept secrets about visiting Dana Point. The summer crowds have thinned, the water is still warm from the season, and the light on the water in the evening is the reason people who come once tend to come back. If you're planning ahead for next year, remember that Ohana is almost always the last full weekend in September, and book lodging early. The whole town fills up.
Where Is Ohana Fest?
Ohana Fest is held at Doheny State Beach‚ 25300 Dana Point Harbor Drive‚ Dana Point‚ CA 92629․
It's actually on the beach․ Not near the beach‚ not a park with an ocean view‚ the stages face the sand and you could stand on your feet in the sand․ Doheny is one of the original California state beaches and a legendary surf break‚ making the festival's environmental purposes a natural fit․
Where do I park for Ohana Fest?
Doheny State Beach‚ right where Dana Point Harbor Drive intersects with PCH․ The lots fill pretty quickly but there are ways around that․
Official festival parking and shuttles․ Ohana sells parking and shuttle passes through the festival's website; 2026 details have not yet been posted․ Passes have sold out before the weekend before so check out ohanafest․com for info and pick up your tickets in advance instead of driving down and hoping․
Alternatively‚ you could park at offsite parking lots‚ as many hotels along Dana Point Harbor Drive and PCH are a 15-minute walk from the gates․ No lot‚ no line‚ no drive home․ Check out some of our hotels and make it a long weekend.
ADA parking․ Accessible parking and entry are available‚ and current information is kept on its accessibility page․
Driving to Ohana Fest
Take I-5‚ exit 79‚ and follow signs to CA-1 North / Pacific Coast Highway․ From Los Angeles‚ it takes 90 minutes to two hours on a Friday afternoon․ From San Diego it is about an hour drive․ Del Obispo street and PCH gets very congested before the gates open for several hours‚ so plan for a longer drive than shown on the map․
Flying In
The nearest large airport is John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Santa Ana‚ roughly a half hour away‚ and by far the easiest․ San Diego International (SAN) is approximately an hour south‚ while LAX is an hour and a half north‚ traffic permitting․ And no one can make that promise about LAX․
Taking the Train
The train Amtrak Pacific Surfliner does stop in San Juan Capistrano‚ one town away‚ which you could use the 91 bus south down to Dana Point if you want․ The Surfliner is beautiful on the coast and it gets you close enough that you don't have to deal with parking‚ so it's a very underrated way to go․
Rideshare Drop-Off and Pick-Up
There are designated rideshare pickup and drop-off locations‚ but they are separate․ Rideshare drop-off is located in Doheny State Beach on Park Lantern Drive․ The pick-up is at the Dana Point Community Center‚ 34052 Del Obispo Street‚ Dana Point‚ CA 92629․
Also‚ don't forget to screenshot the pick-up address before you go in‚ since cell service on the beach isn't great when 14‚000 people are all trying to load the same app at 10 p․m․
Biking and Walking
There is parking for bikes close to the main park entrance․ A lock is needed as you are required to bring your own․ If staying in Dana Point Harbor‚ Capistrano Beach or in Doheny Village‚ it is possible to walk to the park gates․ So that's what locals do‚ and it's the single best piece of advice I can give you․ You can rent bikes from our favorite bike shop's listed here.
Ohana Fest 2026 Lineup
The 10th anniversary festival will have more than 35 sets performed daily on three stages‚ with rotating headliners each night headlined by Eddie Vedder & Friends and Man on Friday‚ Tyler Childers on Saturday‚ and Pearl Jam on Sunday․
Friday‚ September 25 Lineup
Friday features Eddie Vedder & Friends and Man on the main stage‚ with Billy Idol and Bad Religion performing beforehand‚ and Courtney Barnett and Sugar in the afternoon․ Midnight Generation and Otoboke Beaver are on the bill in the early afternoon‚ with Florence Road‚ Mereba and Mutlee performing the stages' opening sets․
Saturday‚ September 26 Lineup
Saturday's headliners are Tyler Childers‚ Alabama Shakes‚ and Jon Batiste‚ arguably making it the deepest single day of the weekend․ The middle of the line-up is Men I Trust and Stephen Wilson Jr․‚ while the bottom of the bill is The Front Bottoms and Alice Phoebe Lou․ This version also features appearances by Marlon Funaki‚ Jake Wesley Rogers‚ P․E․S․T and Ellery Harper․
Sunday‚ September 27 Lineup
Pearl Jam headline Sunday night's closing day of Ohana Fest 2026‚ which also features Fontaines D․C․ and Pixies‚ the reunited Rilo Kiley and The Format‚ Tom Odell and Ecca Vandal․ Horsegirl‚ Villanelle‚ Linka Moja‚ and Speed of Light serve as the day's opening acts․
Where to Stay for Ohana Fest
Most of the Dana Point hotels fill up for Ohana weekend months ahead of time․ If you are reading this without a room‚ go book it now․
Staying in town is the difference between a good weekend and a bad one․ You don't have to fight the parking battle at all‚ you can walk back to your hotel and nap between sets‚ and there's an entire coastal town to explore․
What to Wear + Bag Policy
The Ohana Festival is literally on the sand at Doheny State Beach and‚ depending on the time of day‚ it can be warm or cool with ocean breezes after the sun goes down․ Dress comfortably in beach attire‚ comfortable shoes‚ sunglasses and a hat‚ and bring a light jacket․ Attendees are encouraged to bring a small bag (generally under 16" x 16")‚ sunscreen‚ an empty reusable water bottle‚ your phone‚ and tickets․ Usually glass containers‚ alcohol‚ and bags larger than 16" x 16" are not allowed․
Ohana Fest Tickets and Prices
Tickets are sold through the festival's official ticketing partner, Front Gate Tickets. Ohana regularly sells out, and 2026 has been running low for months.
Three-day general admission passes have been listed at around $535, with single-day general admission starting near $199. VIP and Ultimate VIP tiers are priced above that and are sold separately, as are parking passes.
Is Ohana Fest VIP Worth It?
It depends on what bothers you. VIP at Ohana generally buys you a dedicated entrance, better sightlines, upgraded restrooms, shaded lounge areas and separate bars, which are the things that matter most on a hot Saturday afternoon on open sand with limited shade.
If you're the kind of festivalgoer who arrives at noon and stays through the last note, the shade and the shorter bathroom lines tend to justify the upgrade. If you're coming for two or three specific sets in the evening, general admission is plenty
What time does Ohana Fest end?
Friday and Saturday nights end at 10:30 p.m. Sunday closes a half hour earlier, at 10 p.m.
Is Ohana Fest cashless?
Ohana has operated as a cashless festival in recent years, with card or wristband payment at all vendors.
What should I wear to Ohana Fest?
Dress for a beach in the daytime and a coastal evening at night. Sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses during the day; a hoodie or light jacket after sunset, when the temperature drops noticeably.
Ohana Fest Bag Policy
No backpacks, purses or bags are allowed in, with three exceptions:
- Small clutches and fanny packs — 6″ × 9″ or smaller, one pocket maximum. These do not have to be clear.
- Clear bags — smaller than 12″ × 6″ × 12″, genuinely transparent. Iridescent and colour-tinted bags don't qualify.
- Hydration packs — emptied of all liquid, two pockets maximum.
Every bag is searched at the gate, and the policy is marked subject to change.
What You Can Bring Through the Gate
Allowed: empty refillable water bottles (no glass), frameless non-metal folding stadium chairs, standard beach towels up to 60″ × 30″ in designated areas until 4 p.m., collapsible strollers, fixed-lens cameras, non-aerosol sunblock, hand sanitiser 3.4 oz or under, rechargeable battery packs, poster tubes, ponchos, and prescription medication with matching ID.
Leave in the car: glass of any kind, beach chairs and high-backs, hammocks, coolers, outside food and drink, umbrellas, drones, totems and flags, selfie sticks, professional cameras, bikes, skateboards and scooters, inflatables, glow sticks, and pets other than service animals.