The Santa Monica COAST open streets event returned yesterday after an eight-year hiatus, as part of the city’s celebration of the final World Cup game of 2026.
Yesterday’s event had more of a “really big street fair” vibe than the CicLAvia occurring in Los Angeles or the COASTs of years past. But it was still heartening to see the city closing streets to cars to open them for a variety of other uses including bicycles, but also food trucks, entertainment, and even yoga.
Caro Vilain captured some images from the open and close of COAST for us, but if you have some media you’d like to share, drop a line to damien@santamonicanext.org
History of COAST
COAST has been one of Santa Monica’s signature community events since its debut on June 5, 2016, when the city celebrated the opening of the Metro Expo Line extension with its first-ever open streets festival. The inaugural event closed approximately two miles of Ocean Avenue, Main Street, and Colorado Avenue to automobile traffic, inviting people to explore downtown on foot, by bicycle, skateboard, or other non-motorized means.
The event quickly became an annual tradition. By its second year in 2017, COAST drew more than 50,000 attendees, transforming downtown into a car-free festival featuring live music, art installations, food vendors, community organizations, and family activities. The event returned in 2018 with a continued focus on art, sustainability, and mobility, helping establish Santa Monica as one of Southern California’s open streets destinations.
Like many community events, COAST was paused during the COVID-19 pandemic. Its 2026 return marks not only the revival of a beloved local tradition but also a new chapter, as the city incorporates the festival into a broader strategy to reactivate downtown and the beachfront with large-scale cultural events that encourage walking, biking, transit, and public gathering.
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