Michele StuevenThe Ocean Way Festival, from Goldenvoice, a new two-day music festival, will take place Saturday, Sept. 26, and Sunday, Sept. 27, on the beach in Santa Monica. It’s the first major music festival the beach has seen, bringing live music back to the pier with a celebration of music, food, wellness, design, sustainability, and beach culture.
The inaugural lineup includes headliners The Killers, Olivia Dean, Jack White, Khruangbin, Sublime, Durand Jones and the Indications, Alvvays, SG Lewis, 54 Ultra, Hiatus Kaiyote, BLOND: ISH, Poolside, Hot Chip DJs, and more performing across two nights. The festival will bring together rock, soul, indie, house, and more across two stages for an all-ages, day-into-night experience on the sand.
Tickets go on sale to the general public on Thursday, July 23, at 11 a.m. at oceanwayfestival.com, with a Santa Monica residents presale beginning Wednesday, July 22, at 11 a.m.
More Music: The County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation is launching its first official, standalone free summer concert series in LA County Parks’ history. Sounds of LA County consists of 27 parks and 108 concerts that take place on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings.
The programming spans Latin, R&B, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Reggae, Country, Americana, Indie, Indigenous, dance, and family genres, in parks throughout north, east, and South Los Angeles County, including La Puente, Sylmar, Antelope Valley, Carson, Azusa, West Covina, Palmdale, Lancaster, and more. Get the full lineup here.
Thousands of people from around the world are expected to gather in Los Angeles and online this August for the 2026 Self-Realization Fellowship World Convocation, a free weeklong immersion in the Kriya Yoga teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda, a form of Raja Yoga encompassing meditation techniques and principles for balanced spiritual living.
The gathering featuring guided meditations, kirtan (devotional chanting), satsangas (informal question-and-answer sessions), and inspirational talks will take place Sunday, Aug. 2 through Saturday, Aug. 8, at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles and will be livestreamed worldwide. The event offers opportunities for community and connection among participants from dozens of countries, both in person and online.
Established by Yogananda in 1950, the annual Self-Realization Fellowship Convocation is for anyone drawn to meditation, inner growth, and a deeper understanding of life’s purpose, regardless of religious background or previous meditation experience.
Some of this year’s featured talks include:
- The Art of Joyful Living: Yoga’s Path to Happiness
- Eternal Youth: What Does It Mean and How Can We Have It?
- Becoming an Instrument of Divine Love
- Inner Security Through Divine Connection
Courtesy the Alex Theater
The World Cup Final Block Party takes place in the Venice Pier District on Sunday, July 19, from 11 a.m to 10 p.m. The Venice Pier Association, in partnership with Venice Beach FWC (FanZone26) and Revival House Project, is transforming Washington Boulevard between Pacific Avenue and Speedway into a free, open-air celebration bringing soccer fans, locals, and visitors together for the FIFA World Cup Final.
The event will feature a large LED screen broadcasting the championship match, live music, local performers, community activations, and Revival House Project’s live house music experience throughout the day.
In addition to the free public celebration, there are also VIP tickets starting at $45, offering premium viewing locations, hospitality, and access to exclusive events. Washington Boulevard between Pacific Avenue and Speedway will be closed from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. for event programming.
Christopher Nolan’s epic The Odyssey, the first film shot entirely on Imax 70mm featuring Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Travis Scott, and Elliot Page as part of an all-star lineup, opens today at select theaters in LA that can project large-format film.
After a 35-year absence from first-run studio films, the historic Alex Theatre in Glendale is launching a new chapter in its century-long history with a three-week engagement of Nolan’s film now through Thursday, Aug. 6.
During Hollywood’s Golden Age, audiences filled its auditorium watching first-run features, special engagements, and major film studio presentations. Over the years, the Alex has evolved into a cultural and entertainment center, presenting a mix of music, dance, comedy, cinema, and new media events.
It’s now making a renewed commitment to film exhibitions, with the installation of state-of-the-art sound systems along with 70mm and 35mm film projection.