SeeCalifornia.com

Ahh- spring break! Many of us old timers remember the days when San Diego’s beaches allowed drinking and of course, the beach parties were wild. They got so wild, in fact, that the city decided to tame it down.

Likewise, a free concert with name bands at one US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach may have contributed to overwhelming crowds and a riot downtown. At an earlier, annual US Open a police car was overturned and set on fire and a riot ensued during a bikini contest. The bikini contest ended that year and hasn’t been back since.

So beaches, bikinis, bands and booze have been the stuff of legends and sometimes civil unrest. Like the pendulum swings, booze and bands went out of favor (bikinis and beaches never go out of style,) but now they’re back and more popular than ever!

Public beaches are being rented to private enterprise for ticketed concerts and festivals. Organizers of these events hire security, set up fencing, offer fully stocked bars with liquor for paying guests to enjoy, and even feature carnival rides smack dab on California’s golden beaches! Some of these productions are booked through California State Parks local beach operations.

Here are several such beach events selling tickets to the public during  Spring Break 2019:

• Doheny State Beach in Dana Point is hosting Sabroso Craft Beer, Taco & Music Festival April 6-7, 2019.
• Huntington State Beach in Huntington Beach hosts Coastal County Jam April 6 with headliner Tim McGraw.
• Redondo Beach’s Seaside Lagoon hosts Ragin Cajun Crawfish Jamboree and Music Festival April 6.