Darker Waves Festival is scheduled to return to Huntington Beach, California, on November 14, 2026. No lineup has been announced yet. The festival is currently directing fans to sign up for updates through its official website.
The newly released promotional image confirms the date and location, billing the event simply as taking place “on the beach” in Huntington Beach. At the moment, no artists, ticketing details, or additional event information have been made public.
The previous edition of Darker Waves took place on November 18, 2023. That inaugural festival featured a lineup led by New Order and Tears for Fears, with additional performances by Echo & The Bunnymen, Devo, Soft Cell, The Psychedelic Furs, OMD, The Human League, and Violent Femmes.
The 2023 bill also included a substantial number of acts from across the post-punk, darkwave, goth, synthpop, and alternative spectrum, among them Molchat Doma, Drab Majesty, Twin Tribes, Cold Cave, Mareux, London After Midnight, Clan of Xymox, The Chameleons, Christian Death, 45 Grave, Skeletal Family, Glass Spells, and Urban Heat.
As previously reported by Post-Punk.com, the first festival was positioned as a large-scale beach event centered on legacy new wave and post-punk acts alongside newer artists working in related styles. The 2023 edition’s festival site utilized three rotating stages on the sand and included shuttle and rideshare access for attendees.
No logistical details have been published for the 2026 event yet. It also remains unclear when the lineup, ticket on-sale date, and festival map will be announced.
For now, those interested in attending Darker Waves 2026 can register for more information through the festival’s official website.
Follow Darker Waves Festival:
Or via: