Article Contributed by Falcon Publicity
Published on 2026-07-28
San Diego’s landmark waterfront music and culture event, Mission Bayfest, returns October 16–18, 2026, with a stacked lineup of reggae, pop, punk, and alternative talent embodying Southern California’s laid-back coastal culture.
Returning for its fifth year at Mariner’s Point Park in Mission Beach, Mission Bayfest will feature headlining sets from Rebelution, Kolohe Kai, and The Offspring. The lineup also includes Steel Pulse, The Movement, Common Kings, SOJA, The Interrupters, Goldfinger, The Expendables, Surfer Girl, and Jakob’s Castle, the solo project of Sublime frontman Jakob Nowell.
The festival will expand its programming this year with the return of the Under the Bridge Stage and the debut of the Stage on the Sand, offering even more opportunities to discover emerging artists and sounds beyond the main stage.
See what to expect at Mission Bayfest 2026 HERE.
Listen to the official Mission Bayfest 2026 Spotify playlist HERE.
Friday, October 16
Rebelution
Steel Pulse
The Movement
Surfer Girl
The Gaslamp Killer
King Cruff
Joe Samba
Doah’s Daydream
Cappo Kelley
Saturday, October 17
Kolohe Kai
Common Kings
SOJA
Landon McNamara
For Peace Band
Ooklah The Moc
Eureka Sound
Kekoa the Artist
Kela Saco
R&B 4 Da Wahine
Sunday, October 18
The Offspring
The Interrupters
Goldfinger
The Expendables
Jakob’s Castle
Sitting on Saturn
Kyle Smith
The Emo Night Tour
The Ries Brothers
Sullvn
The Resignators
The Last Call
Beyond the main-stage performances, Mission Bayfest will keep the music going across two additional stages: the new Stage on the Sand and the returning Under the Bridge Stage.
Located on the sandy peninsula of Mariner’s Point, the Stage on the Sand will showcase emerging artists, regional favorites, and rising talent, giving festivalgoers the chance to discover potential future main-stage performers.
Friday’s American Reggae program highlights a new generation of artists blending reggae, rock, and singer-songwriter influences, with performances by Joe Samba, Doah’s Daydream, and San Diego favorite Cappo Kelley.
Saturday celebrates Pacific Island and Polynesian musical influences with Eureka Sound, Kekoa the Artist, and Kela Saco.
Sunday shifts toward punk, rock, and ska with Kyle Smith, The Ries Brothers, The Resignators, and The Last Call.
Located beneath the West Mission Bay Drive bridge, the Under the Bridge Stage will offer an immersive mix of live performances, DJs, and genre-crossing music outside the festival’s traditional reggae format.
Friday’s Global Beats & Bass Culture program will feature The Gaslamp Killer and King Cruff, along with open-format DJs mixing reggae, hip-hop, electronic music, dancehall, and bass.
Saturday’s R&B 4 Da Wahine will deliver an all-day DJ experience spanning classic soul, slow jams, 1990s R&B, 2000s hits, and contemporary favorites.
On Sunday, The Emo Night Tour will celebrate the biggest emo and pop-punk anthems of the 2000s, featuring music associated with My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, Paramore, Taking Back Sunday, Blink-182, and more.
Beyond the music, Mission Bayfest will offer gourmet food trucks and local eateries throughout the park’s peninsula, serving everything from bold bites to craft cocktails in a shaded grove near the main stage.
Attendees can also shop a curated marketplace of local artisans, designers, and creators offering exclusive merchandise and handmade goods.
Mission Bayfest has earned a reputation for pairing nonstop music with sweeping views of Mission Bay, the boat channel, and the San Diego skyline. Last year’s festival featured Slightly Stoopid, Sublime, Rebelution, Dirty Heads, Pepper, and Steel Pulse, while the 2024 lineup included Stick Figure, Tribal Seeds, Iration, Cypress Hill, and Wiz Khalifa.
Mission Bayfest 2026 is presented in partnership with SMKFLWR.
Since the inaugural San Diego Bayfest in 2019, the Bayfest name has built a dedicated community of reggae fans drawn to San Diego’s scenic coastal parks and independent music culture.
Mission Bayfest and its springtime counterpart, San Diego Bayfest, are led by three longtime San Diego music and hospitality figures: Dominic Coleman of Single Fin Surf Grill and Sport Fishing, Joe Rinaldi of NIVA California and Music Box, and DJ Mikey Beats of Sleeping Giant Music.
Their years of work supporting San Diego’s independent music and hospitality scenes continue to shape Bayfest’s community-driven identity.
Single-day and three-day tickets are available now, with some ticket tiers already sold out. VIP packages include a separate entrance, premium viewing areas, VIP-only bars and bathrooms, a furnished grassy lounge, and the festival’s popular $2 VIP tacos.
Discounted tickets are also available to Costco members online and at select store locations.
For tickets and additional information, visit bayfestsd.com.
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