Ohana Festival 2025 Recap

As the final notes drifted out over Doheny State Beach and the sun disappeared behind the Pacific, the 2025 Ohana Festival came to a close in Dana Point—another sold-out weekend that reminded everyone why the event has become one of Southern California’s most anticipated music festivals.

Held September 26 through 28, Ohana once again transformed the shoreline into a gathering place for music lovers, surfers, locals, and travelers chasing one last great summer weekend. With ocean views, cool coastal air, and a lineup packed with major names, the festival delivered three days of music that felt both massive and personal.

Created by Eddie Vedder, Ohana has always stood apart from the typical festival experience. It feels less like a crowded music marathon and more like a carefully curated weekend where the setting matters just as much as the artists on stage.

Friday opened strong with Eddie Vedder and the Earthlings setting the tone for the weekend. Kings of Leon brought one of the biggest early crowds, while Garbage, Stereophonics, Lukas Nelson, and Kim Deal kept the energy moving all day. Fans arrived early, filling the grounds for sets from Deep Sea Diver, Hinds, and Makua before the evening crowds took over.

Saturday may have been the emotional center of the weekend. Hozier delivered one of the festival’s most talked-about performances, with thousands singing along as the sun dropped behind the stage. Leon Bridges followed with a smooth, soulful set that matched the beachside atmosphere perfectly. Performances from Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Margo Price, and Mdou Moctar gave the day a little bit of everything—rock, blues, folk, and soul.

By Sunday, nobody was ready for it to end. Green Day closed out the festival with the loudest singalongs of the weekend, turning the beach into one giant chorus. Cage the Elephant brought their usual explosive energy, while Wet Leg, James, The Chats, and Mannequin Pussy made sure the final day never slowed down.

Beyond the lineup, what keeps people coming back is the feeling of the festival itself. Ohana doesn’t have the chaos of larger events. People moved easily between stages, grabbed food from local vendors, sat in the sand between sets, and watched the waves roll in while music carried across the beach.

The Storytellers Stage remained one of the festival’s most unique features, giving fans stripped-down performances and conversations they would never get in a traditional arena setting. Add in the festival’s continued focus on ocean conservation and environmental awareness, and it feels like more than just another concert weekend.

For Dana Point, the festival has become one of the biggest weekends of the year. Hotels filled up, restaurants stayed packed, and local businesses saw the kind of late-September crowds usually reserved for peak summer.

When the lights finally went down Sunday night, there was the familiar feeling that happens every year—the immediate countdown to next time.

For 2025, Ohana once again delivered what it promises best: great music, good people, and a weekend on the coast that feels a little harder to leave behind.