The BeachLife Festival will return to Redondo Beach for the fifth time later this week, bringing three days of music, food and more to the seaside town beginning Friday, May 3.
Sting, Incubus and My Morning Jacket will headline the event, which will feature more than 50 bands playing across four stages — as well as famed DJs for the first time.
In its fifth year, BeachLife cofounder Allen Sanford said, the festival has become “part of the community.”
“We’re just inclined to keep on building it as long as the community enjoys it,” Sanford said in a recent interview.
BeachLife has attracted around 30,000 visitors over three days every year since 2019, when Willie Nelson, Brian Wilson of the The Beach Boys and Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead headlined the inaugural festival. The 2020 version was shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The festival also spawned the country/Americana themed BeachLife Ranch, which took place in September 2022 and 2023, but has been put on hiatus in 2024 — though it is expected back in 2025 — because of the shifting completion time for the new California Surf Club.
The 21,000 square-foot Surf Club, featuring restaurants, outdoor bars and more, will be in the footprint of the festival site and might be completed in October. But, Sanford said, that is too close to the usual date of BeachLife Ranch.
“It’s too difficult to plan,” Sanford said of organizing Ranch and launching Surf Club simultaneously.
As for this week’s festival, the party will last well into the evening for the first time.
BeachLife After Dark, headlined by DJs, will take place across the street from the festival.
Mix Master Mike of the Beastie Boys and Paul Oakenfold will take the stage at a makeshift lifeguard tower adjacent to the SpeakEasy Stage on Friday and Saturday, respectively, as part of BeachLife’s regular schedule.
“When the festival is over, we’ll have those same DJs literally walk over to the Portofino (Hotel) and play at an after party,” Sanford said.
Tickets for AfterDark are $50 and are separate from a BeachLife pass. But festival goers with “Captain Tickets,” the priciest tickets available at the festival, can attend AfterDark free. Tickets for AfterDark can be found at bit.ly/3JAvRnb.
Three-day general admission and “general admission plus passes” are already sold out, Sanford said.
As of Wednesday, April 24, though, there were still single-day general admission and general admission plus passes available. Those tickets are $179 and $259, respectively, with the “plus” ticket giving unlimited in-and-out privileges and a special entrance.
VIP tickets — $429 for single day or $999 for a three-day pass — are also still available, Sanford said.
The “Captain Tickets,” with its many perks, are also still available. Three-day passes are $3,099, while one-day passes are $1,349.
The VIP experience has been elevated this year, Sanford said.
“We built a whole area for them, which is kind of a VIP grotto,” Sanford said, adding that roomier seating is one of the new perks and the Captain’s area has been enlarged as well.
Another significant change in 2024 is the festival’s SideStage Experience.
Previously, acclaimed chefs would whip up culinary treats for concertgoers who would dine adjacent to the “High Tide” or main stage.
The SideStage has now been moved to the “Low Tide” stage, a slightly smaller platform — but now diners will have an ocean view.
On Friday, Ian Gresik will be the featured chef as City and Colour (4 to 6:30 p.m.) and Dirty Heads (7 to 9 p.m.) perform on the Low Tide stage.
Television personality and chef Nyesha Arrington will serve up her dishes on Saturday while Santigold (4:45 to 6:45 p.m.) and Devo (7 to 9 p.m.) take to the stage.
South Bay favorite David Slay will take over SideStage on Sunday with ZZ Top (4:45 to 6:30 p.m.) and Trey Anastasio Band (6:45 to 9 p.m.) performing.
Chef Jacob Ramos, meanwhile, will serve brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday.
Saturday’s brunch will feature music by Sun Room and Steel Pulse, while Sugar Ray and Margo Price will headline Sunday.
Parking is limited around the festival but organizers recommend other options, including ride share or public transportation.
There will be bike valets available at the south and north end of the festival.
For more information, visit beachlifefestival.com.
BeachLife Festival
When: 1-10:30 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday.
Where: 239 N. Harbor Drive, Redondo Beach.
Cost: $179 per day for general admission; other ticket packages range from $259 to $3,099.
Information: beachlifefestival.com.
