Vans Warped Tour in Long Beach

Long Beach is the perfect host for the Vans Warped Tour’s 30th anniversary return on July 26–27, 2025 at Marina Green Park. The city mirrors everything the festival has stood for; a fusion of music, skate culture and self‑expression. From local punk‑ska pioneers like Sublime—who were part of the first Warped Tour–to skate shop style, the LBC embodies the cross‑pollination of fashion, sport and sound. Especially …

CREDIT: Vans Warped Tour

LOCAL FOOD SCENE DEALS

From July 21 to August 1, Vans Warped Tour has partnered with Longbeachize’s Long Beach Food Scene to showcase local restaurants with themed dishes at affordable prices. Vans Warped Tour paired the Tour’s iconic bands with Long Beach restaurants to create affordable dishes for both festival attendees and locals to enjoy during the two-week culinary takeover. For the full list of participating restaurants and dishes inspired by Warped Tour bands, visit longbeachize.com.

CREDIT: Vans Warped Tour

LIVE MUSIC

Long Beach Arena has hosted Elvis, Stevie Wonder and Led Zeppelin to name a very few, and plans for a 10,000 seat waterfront amphitheater will continue the city’s reputation as a music hub. Clubs like DiPiazza’s (5205 Pacific Coast Hwy) and Alex’s Bar (2913 E Anaheim St) keep the city in rhythm with punk, rock and local indie shows. In honor of Vans Warped Tour, Roxanne’s (1115 E Wardlow Rd) is putting on its “Knocked Off Warped Tour,” July 19. This free, all-ages throwback bash with live emo and pop-punk covers, DJ sets, skate sessions, carnival games, graffiti walls, and giveaways.

SKATE SHOPS

The Vans Warped Tour at Marina Green Park (386 E Shoreline Dr) owes its original cred to Vans, which in many ways created modern skate culture. It certainly has been one of the major influencers when it comes to skate fashion. Alongside Vans, which has a shop on 2nd Street in Belmont Shore, Long Beach skateboard shops not only provide the very best in skate equipment, but fashion as well. Additionally, they have become gathering spots for the city’s sizable and tight-knit skate community.

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RECORD STORES

When Vans Warped Tour launched 1995–with a lineup including a band from Long Beach called Sublime–you still had to go to a record store to get your music. Yes, online music is convenient, but record stores remain magical places where music lovers build community around a shared appreciation (or compulsion). Long Beach has an abundance of wonderful independent record stores perfect for whiling away an afternoon browsing, listening and loving.

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SKATE PARKS

What made the Warped Tour unique was not only who was performing on the stage, but also who was riding the half pipe. It was not just a festival celebrating music but also extreme sports, especially skate athletes. Long Beach has a long and storied skateboarding legacy, where it’s more than a sport but a community that congregates at the city’s 10 skateparks. Situated in every corner of Long Beach, these skateparks have their own distinct features, looks and vibes.

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Credit: Richard Grant

MUSICAL LEGACY

A highlight of this year’s Vans Warped Tour in Long Beach will be the performance of hometown heroes, Sublime. Of course, the roster of iconic performers produced by Long Beach is long and varied–from opera to the original novelty act to the home of those who made the LBC the de facto headquarters of the West Coast hip hop scene.

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About the Author

Steve Lowery

Steve Lowery is a longtime local. Over the years he has written for the Los Angeles Times, ESPN, and others. If you're looking for the hidden gems of Long Beach, Steve is your go-to.