STATEMENT: Ocean Way Festival Cancellation Signals Growing Need to Protect Where We Play

WASHINGTON – On September 11, the highly anticipated Ocean Way concert in Santa Monica, California was canceled after Hurricane Marie eroded a large portion of the festival site over Labor Day weekend. Climate experts have linked the severity of Hurricane Marie to the historic “super” El Niño weather cycle currently setting record temperatures around the world.

The two-day festival, organized by the team behind Coachella and set to feature headline acts from the Killers, Olivia Dean, Jack White and Sublime, among others, joins a growing list of major disruptions by extreme weather to the places where we live, work and play. Earlier this year, a historic U.S. heatwave pushed temperatures at nearly one in five FIFA World Cup matches above levels considered safe for players and fans.

Ocean Conservancy’s Vice President of Marketing Oscar Negroni, a resident of Los Angeles and 15-year veteran of the entertainment industry, issued the following statement in response:

“The ocean is the beating heart of our blue planet and its health touches us all, from our coasts to the center of our country. When climate change makes headlines because it disrupts the music we listen to, the sports we play and the communities we live in, it should be a wake-up call. Whether you’re an athlete, an entertainer or a fan, we all have a stake in protecting the cherished spaces that bring us together. Building a safe, more resilient future won’t be possible if we don’t protect our ocean.”

###

ABOUT PROTECT WHERE WE PLAY

Protect Where We Play (PWWP) is an Ocean Conservancy initiative uniting sports and entertainment industries to protect the ocean by leveraging athletes, artists, teams, events and venues to mobilize millions of fans worldwide. Together, we combat climate change and preserve the future of sports, entertainment and all the places we play and find joy. www.protectwhereweplay.com #protectwhereweplay

ABOUT OCEAN CONSERVANCY  

For more than 50 years, Ocean Conservancy has delivered effective, evidence-based solutions for the ocean and all who depend on it. Today, we continue to unite science, people and policy to protect our ocean from the greatest challenges it faces: climate change, plastic pollution and biodiversity loss. We are a 501(C)3 headquartered in Washington, D.C. that inspires a worldwide network of partners, advocates and supporters through our comprehensive and clear-eyed approach to ocean conservation. Together, we are securing a healthy ocean and a thriving planet, forever and for everyone. For more information, visit oceanconservancy.org, or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Bluesky or Instagram.