As its seventh year approaches, the Ohana Festival has grown to become a globally recognized music and cultural event thanks to its unique artist collaborations that take place throughout its now annual three-day run at Doheny State Beach in Dana Point.
It’s a smaller-scale festival space, with a capacity of just 15,000, that launched back in 2016 and blossomed out of a partnership between Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder, Pearl Jam manager Mark “Smitty” Smith and Southern California-based festival promoter Live Nation.
Though they continue to book top-tier acts — Pink, Mumford & Sons, Eric Church, Jack White, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lana Del Rey, Incubus, Stevie Nicks and Foo Fighters just to name a few — that could easily sell out arena or stadium shows on their own, Vedder & Co. are committed to maintaining the more intimate nature of the Ohana Festival and keep it exactly where it’s at, situated just steps from where the Pacific Ocean meets the sand in south Orange County.
“It’s sacred ground for us and just the history of it, with it being the first place Ed (Vedder) ever caught a wave,” Rich Best, president of booking at Live Nation California, said during a recent Zoom call ahead of Ohana returning to Dana Point on Sept. 29-Oct. 1.
“It just has this vibe and this spirit,” Best continued. “Obviously, it has grown and we’ve been asked many times about ‘Have you ever thought of expanding or changing sites?’ And, honestly, it’s just a hard ‘No.’ I don’t think Ohana would be Ohana if it was not right there.”
Lucky Number 7
For the 2023 edition, Friday, Sept. 29 will be headlined by The Killers with earlier sets by Haim, Father John Misty, Japanese Breakfast, Glen Hansard and more. Saturday, Sept. 30 will be topped by Vedder along with his all-star band The Earthlings and sets by The Chicks, The War on Drugs, Goose, Charley Crockett and others.
Foo Fighters will make their Ohana debut on Sunday, Oct. 1 along with…
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