The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is a global event in the California desert every April, but a couple hours south in Orange County, Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam has established a beach festival that combines the vibrant energy of surf culture with great music and relaxed vibes, all while the ocean waves roll in near the stage.
Instead of hosting over 100,000 people per day across two weekends like Coachella, the Ohana Festival at Doheny State Beach in Dana Point attracts around 15,000 to 20,000 attendees each day over one weekend. The Ohana crowd felt more multigenerational — quite different from the social media influencer firestorm that is Coachella — and included more families with children.
This year, Ohana’s lineup blended legacy acts such as Vedder, former Pixies bassist Kim Deal, Garbage, Hozier, and the Tedeschi Trucks Band, alongside emerging artists. Additionally, the lineup included performers who have played at Coachella and the Stagecoach country music festival in recent years, such as Lukas Nelson, Margo Price, and Green Day, that latter of which headlined Coachella in April and closed the Ohana Festival on Sunday.
So, how does Ohana Festival compare to Coachella in 2025?
Ohana Festival 2025 was a day at the beach combined with a block party
In some ways, Ohana Festival is similar to Desert Daze, the festival founded by Phil Pirrone in 2012 and hosted at Lake Perris State Park until it was canceled in 2024. Like Lake Perris State Park, Doheny State Beach is a state-owned waterfront venue, but unlike Desert Daze’s more mixed income suburban setting, Ohana’s venue is nestled in a coastal community surrounded by luxury beachfront properties and upsale mountain homes overlooking the beach.
In some ways, the affluent nature of the neighborhood surrounding Ohana is remniscent of the gated communities that border Coachella’s Empire Polo Club venue on all sides.
Ohana’s Doheny State Beach festival grounds had a simple layout and were easy to navigate. Food trucks were lined up in the rear of the festival along the sidewalk, selling cheesesteak sandwiches, burgers, vegetarian options and more. Another area featured wine, specialty cocktails, Jersey Mike’s subs and other food and beverage options.
The Ohana and Tiki stages were located next to each other and featured a rotating schedule of performances throughout the day. Attendees could bring their own blankets and beach towels, and unlike at Coachella, bleacher seating was available at no cost on a first-come, first-served basis.
An area known as The Cove, located next to the Tiki Stage, provided additional seating and food options. This area also highlighted Vedder’s commitment to environmentalism. Ford was present, showcasing the Ford Mustang Mach-E electric vehicle to festivalgoers.
Additionally, there was a Storytellers stage that featured comfortable seating and shade, designed to resemble a cozy living room, with a diverse range of speakers. On Day 2, some of the topics discussed included “Waves of Change,” “Women of the Sea,” “A Story for the Planet,” and “Pipeline: Surfing the World’s Most Sacred Wave.” Nearby, the Cove Gallery displayed primarily ocean and beach-related art.
Why Ohana Festival 2025 was a music lover’s dream
Do you have to love Pearl Jam or be a fan of Vedder to enjoy Ohana Festival? No, but it wouldn’t hurt. On Saturday, Vedder appeared early in the day on the Tiki Stage to introduce actor David Duchovny’s set and again late in the afternoon on the Ohana Stage to join Tedeschi Trucks Band for a cover of “The Seeker” by The Who. Someone also came out to explain how to administer Narcan between sets in case there were any overdoses during the festival and used Pearl Jam references while doing so.
This boutique festival is a music lover’s dream. Saturday’s lineup featured a diverse lineup of artists, including Tennessee folk and West African music artist Mon Rovîa, Nigerien rock guitarist Mdou Moctar, the pop duo Royel Otis (who will also perform at Coachella 2026), and R&B artist Leon Bridges (who performed at Coachella’s sister festival Stagecoach in 2024). The lineup also included the Tedeschi Trucks Band, rock band Rainbow Kitten Surprise, and headliner Hozier (who performed at Coachella in 2015).
With only two stages, Ohana festivalgoers didn’t have to move — a major difference between this festival and Coachella — and the screens on both stages were active during all performances.
The highlight of Saturday was the jam band set performed by the Tedeschi Trucks Band, which featured a rendition of Joe Cocker’s version of The Beatles’ “With A Little Help From My Friends.” Susan Tedeschi’s vocals, Derek Trucks’ lead guitar, Gabe Dixon on keyboards, the backing vocalists, and the brass section created a vibrant sound that resonated throughout the entire festival, providing a feel-good conclusion to the performance.
Hozier’s Ohana Festival 2025 headline set was as captivating as a Coachella headliner
Irish singer-songwriter Hozier is known for his captivating live performances, and many of his fans have described their first Hozier concerts as life-changing experiences. During his headlining performance at the Ohana Festival on Sept. 27, the beach setting combined with the singer’s ethereal songs created a magical atmosphere.
When Hozier, whose full name is Andrew John Hozier-Byrne, began his set with the uplifting R&B song “Nobody’s Soldier,” the energy stayed high throughout. The singer’s fusion of rock, soul, R&B, folk, and pop was magnetic. His vocals were crisp and expressive during the blues-rock track “From Eden,” which also featured a gospel-like feel in the chorus.
The setlist featured many of Hozier’s older songs and was similar to his performances at other festivals, in contrast to his tour stops. This made it a great introduction for those who had never seen him live before and a nostalgic experience for his longtime fans — two aspects that made it a Coachella-caliber set. Production was also stunning throughout the performance, featuring an assortment of different visuals to accommodate the mood of each song.
How much does the Eddie Vedder Ohana Festival cost?
Ohana passes are sold at typical California music festival prices, and a three-day general admission pass for 2025 was $530, while VIP was $1,589. VIP passholders had access to viewing areas at the main stage and the bleachers, a beachside lounge, a drink ticket, air-conditioned restrooms, and more. There was also an Ultimate VIP package for $10,255 that included two passes, four nights at the Laguna Cliffs Resort & Spa and more.
But, unlike Coachella of late, Ohana also sells single-day GA and VIP admission tickets.
Most food options for a full meal at Ohana cost at least $30-$50 per person. However, some of the portion sizes offered by the food trucks were generous and many offered upgrades. A food truck selling chicken sandwiches priced them at $22, with an option to upgrade to fries for an additional $3. Canned sodas and water were available for $5 each.
Getting to the Ohana music festival 2025 wasn’t easy
Anyone who has visited Dana Point or any of Orange County’s beach cities on the weekends knows how challenging it can be to find parking. This issue intensifies during the Ohana Festival, as the gates to Doheny State Beach close and no on-site parking is available for festivalgoers — unlike Coachella, which has several large parking lots on site.
Shuttle passes for the festival are available but tend to sell out each year, just like the parking passes for a nearby parking garage. Posts on Reddit forums discussing parking for the Ohana Festival mention the option of parking in the nearby Ralph’s parking lot and walking to the festival gates. Some attendees are willing to walk over an hour or up to three miles. However, many choose to park in a public parking lot or on the street as close as possible, often relying on rideshare services, regardless of the cost or the wait time at the end of the night.
The shuttle ride from Dana Hills High School to the festival took 10 minutes, while the return ride shortly before the end of the night took 15 minutes.
There will always be challenges related to parking at the Ohana Festival due to its location. But for those who choose to take a shuttle, use rideshare services, or manage to find parking close to Doheny State Beach, the walk from the entrance to the festival is relatively short without an extra mile or two to the front gate like at Coachella — and that’s nice for everyone, especially those who walk or bike to the festival.
Was Ohana Fest 2025 worth it?
Ohana Festival’s beach setting offers a more relaxed and friendly atmosphere, creating a welcoming environment for music lovers. But as evening approaches and more festivalgoers arrive, it can become challenging to navigate through The Cove, the sidewalk areas above the Oasis and Tiki stage areas and other areas. But when the Oasis stage fills up, there’s still plenty of room at the Tiki stage to take a seat and the bands still sound great.
If you’re wondering why you don’t see many of your favorite rock or Americana bands on the Coachella or Stagecoach lineups, they might be performing at the Ohana Festival. You’ll likely find many other familiar names and recognizable artists there, along with a smaller, intergenerational crowd of music lovers in a different setting.
Is Ohana Festival worth the price of admission and the trip to Dana Point? Absolutely. Whether you spend a day or the entire weekend, this beach event organized by Vedder is worth checking out or adding to your annual festival calendar.
But is it better than Coachella? That depends what kind of music fan you are. If you’re looking for a more laid-back festival vibe with a higher concentration of rock, punk and roots/Americana music, then opt for Ohana rather than Coachella.
Brian Blueskye covers arts and entertainment for the Desert Sun. He can be reached at brian.blueskye@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: We went to Ohana Festival 2025. Here’s how it stacks up against Coachella
Reporting by Brian Blueskye, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
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