September 15, 2026
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
Advertisement – scroll to continue reading
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.
