LA's Biggest Football Closing Celebration
Venice Beach is about to become the epicenter of the city’s summer.
Across three dates in July, Los Angeles’ most iconic beachfront will host a run of open-air house music events at Windward Plaza and on Washington Boulevard, drawing internationally acclaimed DJs and thousands of fans to the sand for the biggest football weekend of the season.
The series begins on Friday, July 10, when Defected Records hosts The Official Afterparty at Windward Plaza as part of the official FIFA World Cup 2026 Fan Zone programming. Running from 4pm to 10pm, the open-air event will feature performances from Riva Starr, Gene Farris, OFFAIAH, Heidi Lawden, Jon Besant, Ochok, and Danny Moggs, bringing Defected’s globally renowned sound and production to the heart of Venice Beach.
Venice Beach also becomes the setting for two independently produced events that capture the energy of the season’s biggest football festivities while celebrating the city’s vibrant music culture.
On Sunday, July 12, Venice Afters Club hosts The Closing Party, an open-air house music celebration headlined by Grammy nominated artists SIDEPIECE, acclaimed LA duo Ship Wrek, with further performances from UK house music heavyweight Martin Ikin, breakthrough DJ and producer Essel plus additional Grammy Award-winning headliners still to be announced. With the Pacific as its backdrop and the tournament reaching its climax in Los Angeles that same weekend, the event provides a fitting finale to the city’s role as a host of the tournament.
The celebrations continue on Sunday, July 19, with Revival’s The World Cup Final Block Party, a free open-air finale on Washington Boulevard at Venice Beach. Running from afternoon into the evening, the event features Revival House Project, the live house music collective led by ALEXA PERL, alongside Grammy-nominated house music legend Mousse T., Ibiza’s Bender, and a lineup of local and international talent including Danny Moggs, Scott Tweedie, and Jon Besant, bringing live musicians, vocalists, DJs, and the local community together against the backdrop of the Pacific. A special Venice Pier pop-up will also be announced soon, adding a one-of-a-kind moment to the closing weekend.
“Venice Beach has been at the center of the city’s energy all summer,” said Matt Mareno, Co-Producer. “To close it out with three days of house music on the sand, with this caliber of talent and the ocean right there, is a special moment for the Westside. From the Fan Zone programming through to our independent closing weekend, this is Venice at its best.”