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Last day of BeachLife began with a delay, fans still enjoy the music

May 4, 2026

The final day of the seventh annual BeachLife Festival began with several delays for the hundreds of concertgoers, but fans still enjoyed an afternoon of high-energy musical acts on Sunday, May 3.

Entrance to the popular Redondo Beach music festival at Seaside Lagoon was delayed two hours after police evacuated the nearby Redondo Beach Pier and some other areas as they responded to a reported hostage situation involving possible explosives, the Redondo Beach Police Department said in a Sunday afternoon statement. Ultimately, there was no threat to the pier, residents or the community, police said.

But the investigation still delayed BeachLife’s last day. The festival was originally set to open at noon, but didn’t let people inside until a little after 2 p.m.

Police and Fire Departments respond to an active shooter at the Redondo Beach Pier in Redondo Beach on Sunday, May 3, 2026. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

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Police and Fire Departments respond to an active shooter at the Redondo Beach Pier in Redondo Beach on Sunday, May 3, 2026. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

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“Per the direction of local safety officials, we have been given the go-ahead to safely open doors momentarily,” BeachLife officials said in a statement on social media. “We appreciate the patience from our community and look forward to a wonderful day of sun, fun and great music.”

Hundreds of people were waiting in line to get inside, many of whom had been queuing since earlier in the day. Volunteers and security quickly moved people through, getting them inside to kick off the final day of the festival.

At the front of the line was Redondo Beach resident Jackie Jacobs, who said she had been waiting with friends since 1 p.m. She has attended the festival every year since it began in 2019, she said.

“I heard the helicopters above my house, so I was like, ‘What is going on?’” Jacobs said about the police activity in the area before the event. “Then BeachLife put on their Facebook an update about what was going on. It was sad because I was ready to go at 11 a.m.”

Headliner James Taylor and Sheryl Crow were two artists Jacobs said she was excited to see.

“I grew up a ’70s, baby, so to have him here is just amazing,” Jacobs said about the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame singer. “I cannot miss seeing James Taylor.”

As concertgoers finally made it into the festival, they grabbed food and drinks, and began checking to see what time changes had been made to the musical acts they set out to watch. Organizers, in fact, released an updated setlist that cut some acts short. The late start to the day also did not allow musical artist Greg in Good Company to perform on the Riptide Stage.

Singer-songwriter Chris Pierce, however, took the main High Tide Stage right at 2 p.m., shifting the mood for many attendees and getting them to dance and sing along.

Sunday concluded three days of music in Redondo Beach that featured a stacked lineup, including Duran Duran and the Offspring headlining the previous two days, along with the Chainsmokers, Ben Harper, My Morning Jacket, Grouplove and many more performing throughout the weekend.

Thousands of people were expected to attend the festival throughout the weekend, with organizers saying this year’s BeachLife could see record crowds. Last year’s festival currently boasts the largest attendance in BeachLife’s history, with 35,000 concertgoers. Even though the last day had a delated start, people still continued to make their way inside by late afternoon.

A cool breeze and overcast skies continued throughout the day on Sunday. The crowd skewed older on Sunday, but still, there were people of all ages at each stage, and there was also a palpable excitement for Taylor to take the spotlight in the evening.

Waiting near the barricade of the main High Tide Stage was Paula Harrell from Inglewood. Taylor was her main reason for attending the festival for the first time, she said.

“I grew up when he was really popular,” Harrell said. “I get to share this experience with my husband and everybody else, and a plus that it’s near the beach.”

Besides checking out the musical lineup, attendees could also shop at different vendor booths, participate in photo ops and even try out their singing voice at a karaoke bar.

While the big-name acts were the main attraction, BeachLife also showcases different music genres, like Buena Vista Orchestra, which took over the Low Tide Stage with a large crowd dancing along to their music and bringing a Latin vibe to the day.

Dancing and singing along were Jose Boliva and Georgina Vega. The couple are former Redondo Beach residents but now live in Heath, Texas. They traveled back this weekend to attend the festival.

“I loved it,” Vega said about Buena Vista Orchestra’s set. “It’s very different from everything else that they have here; everything is good but it’s different and we had a lot of fun.”

Vega said she was also looking forward to seeing Taylor, and also enjoyed listening to Duran Duran during the first night of the festival.

“It’s always a special memory to be here,” Bolivia added.

Last day of BeachLife began with a delay, fans still enjoy the music Orange County Register

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Last day of BeachLife began with a delay, fans still enjoy the music

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