Santa Monica to take center stage with new annual music festival and big-name activations as FIFA World Cup, 2027 Super Bowl, LA28 Olympics/Paralympics come to Los Angeles region
December 17, 2025 12:51 PM
City moves to activate the beach, Pier and Downtown as part of Realignment Plan
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Dec. 17, 2025) — Santa Monica is set to shine on the global stage as a premier destination for entertainment, sports watch parties, and major activations during a wave of international events coming to the Los Angeles region over the next three years, after City Council approved several preliminary agreements Tuesday, including a new annual music festival.
The FIFA World Cup comes to Los Angeles in summer 2026, followed by the 2027 Super Bowl to be played at SoFi Stadium, and in 2028 the Olympic and Paralympic Games will take place throughout the Los Angeles region. In addition, the city plans to launch a new beachfront music festival to add even more excitement to the coming years.
In a monumental moment Tuesday, the City Council approved partnering with private entities on five major events that will put Santa Monica on the global stage during these exciting years:
- The Michelob ULTRA Pitchside Club on Santa Monica Pier in June, timed to the kickoff of the FIFA World Cup 2026
- A large-scale music festival adjacent to the Pier and along the sand produced by Goldenvoice in fall 2026
- An ESPN fan festival and broadcast presence on the Pier and beach in February 2027
- Club France, the official hospitality house of the French Olympic Committee at the Annenberg Community Beach House, for the Olympic Games in summer 2028
- A Santa Monica Nations Village and broadcast center concept led by Hochsitz at Crescent Bay Park and portions of Lot 4 South during the Olympic Games in summer 2028
Tuesday’s actions signal a jump start of a key pillar in the city’s Realignment Plan: to find new and innovative ways to activate the city, attract business investment and foster economic opportunity and growth.
“The next few years are a defining opportunity to showcase Santa Monica at its best, from our beach and Pier to the heart of our downtown along our iconic coastline,” Mayor Caroline Torosis said. “This is exactly what our Realignment Plan was designed to do. We are ushering in Santa Monica’s Renaissance by delivering results, revitalizing our core, and setting the city up for its next chapter. Our best days are ahead.”
2026 Michelob ULTRA Pitchside Club
Michelob ULTRA, the Official Beer Sponsor of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, will bring its Pitchside Club fan experience to the Santa Monica Pier in June 2026.
Designed to give 21+ fans a Superior Soccer Social Club experience, the fan activation will blend live match viewing with interactive soccer-inspired games, programming for soccer fans, limited-edition merchandise, and appearances from special guests, including athletes, celebrities and global icons.
More information will be posted on MichelobULTRA.com in advance of the tournament.
As part of its operational plan, Michelob ULTRA anticipates securing a full buy-out of the Viceroy Hotel for a limited period during the tournament. The hotel would serve as a lodging and production support hub for talent, partners, and operational staff.
Beach music festival
Keeping the buzz going after World Cup, the city is partnering with Goldenvoice, a division of AEG Presents and one of the nation’s leading producers of large-scale music events, to produce a new music and cultural festival on Santa Monica’s coastline in fall 2026.
"Partnering with the city of Santa Monica to bring a yearly music festival to the Pier is a true honor for us,” said Melissa Ormond, Goldenvoice COO and COO of Festivals for AEG Presents. “We can't wait to bring world class music and artists to one of the most beautiful urban locations in the state."
The inaugural festival concept envisions a single-day event with an estimated capacity of 30,000 to 35,000 attendees. Programming would include 12 to 15 musical artists, curated food and beverage offerings, festival and artist merchandise, art installations, partnership activations, and guest services such as restrooms, lockers, and water stations.
Goldenvoice has indicated its intention to design a festival that aligns with the character of Santa Monica, encourages attendance by residents, and drives economic activity for local hotels, restaurants, and retail prior to and during the event.
The concert would return in fall 2027 and fall 2028 as an annual event.
ESPN fan festival
In early 2027, the city is working to partner with ESPN to create a fan-engagement experience, including broadcasts, on the Santa Monica Pier and adjacent beachfront.
The activation would feature productions staged against Santa Monica’s coastline, along with curated community-focused programming, nonprofit engagement, and partnerships with local vendors and hotels.
“Santa Monica’s pier and beachfront are iconic, capturing the vibrant spirit of Southern California,” ESPN said in a statement. “We appreciate the city and the City Council for embracing our vision and our commitment to the community. We look forward to the next steps in our plans and sharing more in the coming months.”
2028 Olympic and Paralympic experiences
The grand finale of the three-year string of major activations will be the 2028 Summer Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, held throughout the Los Angeles region starting in July 2028.
The French National Olympic and Sport Committee (CNOSF) proposes to operate “Club France” during the Olympics, its official hospitality house, at the Annenberg Community Beach House, to be the primary gathering point for French athletes, officials, guests, fans, and media. The concept blends live event viewing, cultural programming, French culinary offerings, and athlete celebrations in an open, vibrant environment that promotes national pride and international engagement.
“I’m delighted with the signing of this Letter of Intent. It is the first decisive step in building a Club France for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. The Annenberg Community Beach House fully aligns with our ambition: a public, sporting and cultural venue, open to all, and perfectly in line with our values. I want to express my warmest thanks to Santa Monica’s City Council, as well as the entire city team, for their commitment and trust. Santa Monica and CNOSF are moving forward as true partners,” CNOSF President Amélie Oudéa-Castéra said. “We are convinced that Santa Monica and the Annenberg Community Beach House will provide the ideal setting for an ambitious, accountable and welcoming Club France, serving our athletes, French and American fans, our partners, the media, and the entire French sports movement.”
The proposal also outlines a commitment to substantial community events at no or low cost to the public, use of local businesses for food, materials, and more, as well as a legacy project to leave a lasting community benefit in Santa Monica.
Additionally, the city is finalizing a proposal for a multi-faceted Santa Monica Nations Village and international broadcast hub at Crescent Bay Park and portions of Lot 4 South, in partnership with LOIDL LLC (dba Hochsitz). The concept includes a temporary broadcast center serving official Olympic and Paralympic media partners, hospitality houses for participating nations, and premium brand activations.
The sustainable design emphasizes public access, oceanfront visibility, and immersive content production that would bring global broadcast attention to Santa Monica.
The city expects continued interest in brand and country activations during the Games and is working strategically to ensure the greatest economic and public benefit for the community as the world celebrates the Summer Games in Los Angeles.
More to come
A dedicated city events team, led by the City Manager’s Office in coordination across all city departments, has worked strategically over the past few years and most intensely over recent months to attract these major activations with a focus on prioritizing free, publicly accessible experiences that uplift residents, strengthen businesses and showcase Santa Monica globally.
All event producers will pay a fee for property rental, city services, security and traffic planning and will not receive any subsidy from the city, a result of a new pricing model for major events developed by the city team.
Tuesday’s approvals allow city staff to proceed with negotiating final terms, including rent and design approvals, and bring formal licensing agreements back for council approval. As staff refine these agreements, the focus will be on ensuring they provide meaningful community benefits such as free public programming, strong economic returns, local hiring, and inclusion of Santa Monica businesses.
Read the full staff report here and watch the City Council presentation and discussion here.
Media Contact
Tati Simonian
Public Information Officer
Tati.Simonian@santamonica.gov
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