Darker Waves Festival 2026

1. 🌊 Darker Waves Festival 2026 returns to the iconic Huntington Beach coastline on Saturday, November 14, 2026, delivering a full day of new wave, post-punk, alternative, goth and rock music in a spectacular Southern California beach setting. The festival is scheduled to begin at 12:00 PM Pacific Time and features performances across multiple stages.

🎸 The 2026 lineup is headlined by legendary artists including Morrissey, The Smashing Pumpkins and Simple Minds, with major acts such as Bad Religion, Adam Ant, The Psychedelic Furs, Soft Cell, The Damned, Manic Street Preachers, Gary Numan, Buzzcocks, Silversun Pickups, Circle Jerks, EMF, Marky Ramone, Mariachi El Bronx, Cold Cave, TR/ST, Modern English, The Motels, The Sounds and many more. The festival features approximately 35 artists across three stages, making it a major destination for alternative and nostalgic music fans.

🏖️ Beyond the music, attendees can enjoy a unique beachfront festival atmosphere with food and beverage vendors, official artist merchandise, brand experiences, bars, specialty cocktail lounges, water refill stations and lockers. Premium ticket options add benefits such as shaded lounges, preferred stage viewing, dedicated entrances, charging stations and upgraded festival amenities.

🎶 Darker Waves Festival is ideal for fans of classic new wave, post-punk, goth rock, alternative rock and influential 80s and 90s sounds. Whether you're a longtime fan of these iconic artists or discovering the genre for the first time, the combination of legendary performers, multiple stages and a beautiful Huntington Beach setting makes this a standout California music festival experience.