Four Days of Films, Concerts, Conversations and Community: Coast Film & Music Festival Closes Out in Laguna Beach
After a sold-out opening night at the Rivian South Coast Theater, the eighth annual festival wraps October 22–25
LAGUNA BEACH, CA — October 21, 2026 — The eighth annual Coast Film & Music Festival (CFMF) closes out October 22–25 with four days of films, conversations, art and community across Laguna Beach. It all culminates in three nights of Concerts in the Canyon at the Irvine Bowl: Rainbow Body's first-ever live show Friday, Ben Harper Saturday and Amos Lee Sunday.
“We're honored that Rainbow Body is debuting live in Laguna Beach the day their album drops, with Ben Harper and Amos Lee following on the same stage. Laguna is an arts town at heart, and this weekend the community can enjoy extraordinary films, shared moments and world-class music. That's the spirit Coast was founded on,” said Enich Harris, co-founder of the festival and concert series.
Thursday, October 22: Coast Summit and Films on Forest
Coast Summit: The Intelligence of Nature (9 AM–4 PM, Rivian South Coast Theater), presented by A New Earth Project, features an 11 AM panel with the full Rainbow Body band in their first public appearance together, moderated by music photographer Jay Blakesberg.
Esteemed Summit speakers include composer Garth Stevenson, Nicole Miller of Biomimicry 3.8, mountaineers Peter and Alexander Hillary, photographer Andy Mann, Paul Piff of UC Irvine and emcee Dr. Len Necefer. The day closes with the Land & Sea Mixer at SHACC, hosted by Surfrider Foundation and Protect Our Winters, with ski mountaineer Caroline Gleich and big-wave surfer Greg Long.
That evening, Films on Forest brings a free community festival to downtown's Forest Avenue Promenade starting at 5:30 PM, with live music from Colorado's A Brother's Fountain and Party Foul, plus Teton Gravity Research's Actually, It Is Rocket Science and a program of shorts.
Concerts in the Canyon | Irvine Bowl, October 23–25
Fri, Oct 23 — Rainbow Body: A Special Evening of Music for Conservation. The band was born from QUOIA's inaugural artist session in Iceland, where the musicians came together to make music inspired by nature, and their debut album drops the same day.
Sat, Oct 24 — Ben Harper with Donavon Frankenreiter, G. Love and Lily Meola.
Sun, Oct 25 — Amos Lee with Donavon Frankenreiter, G. Love and Lily Meola.
Doors 5:30 PM, music 6:30 PM. Irvine Bowl, 650 Laguna Canyon Road.
Tickets, passes and full festival schedule: coastfilmfestival.com. Reservations are required for most events.
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