Long Beach is turning up the volume on its cultural and entertainment scene with the arrival of the Long Beach Amphitheater, a brand-new waterfront live-music venue set to open in summer 2026. Anchored along the downtown shoreline by the iconic Queen Mary, this open-air amphitheater will be the city’s first large-scale outdoor music destination, blending major touring acts with Long Beach’s unique local energy and creative spirit. (Long Beach)
What’s Coming to the Waterfront
The Long Beach Amphitheater will feature approximately 11,000 seats with tiered grandstands and an attractive stage setup that frames the city skyline and harbor views—a setting that’s as much about the experience as it is about the music.
Already announced on the inaugural calendar are big name acts like TOTO with Christopher Cross and The Romantics in August, followed by Mötley Crüe in September. (Long Beach Amphitheater) The venue aims to host dozens of concerts and cultural gatherings each year, including performances by homegrown and emerging artists alongside major tours.
The City of Long Beach has partnered with Legends Global—a seasoned entertainment operator with venues across North America—to run the amphitheater, bringing professional event booking, guest services, marketing, and operational expertise to the table.
A Strategic Investment in Culture and the Economy
The amphitheater is part of the City’s broader Grow Long Beach Initiative, a long-term economic strategy designed to diversify the city’s economy by expanding sectors like music, entertainment, tourism, hospitality and creative industries that drive jobs and foot traffic.
Officials project that the venue will not only generate significant revenue over time but also attract visitors who support local hotels, restaurants, bars, and retail shops, creating a ripple effect of benefits across the broader business landscape.
The investment is being funded through the City’s Tidelands Funds, a specific revenue source designated for waterfront developments, and the venue is structured to pay for itself through event operations and sponsorships.
Additionally, private partners like the Port of Long Beach are stepping up with sponsorship support to help with branding, marketing, and community engagement around the amphitheater.
More than Music: Community Energy and Local Identity
What makes this project exciting is not only the scale of touring talent it will bring—but the opportunity for community connection. City leaders describe the amphitheater as a place where national acts meet local culture, where people from across Southern California will converge and Long Beach will shine on the map as a destination for unforgettable live experiences.
Supporting Small Businesses and Local Events
While this new venue brings promise, the conversation in Long Beach isn’t just about big concerts and headline acts. Local small business owners, event producers, and community members have shared real struggles around city permitting processes, communication challenges, and fees that make it harder for grassroots events and cultural programming to thrive. These are not opinions—we’ve heard them directly from the community in multiple conversations.
To help address this, the City offers a suite of small business support programs under the Grow Long Beach umbrella. These include:
- Legacy Business Program, which recognizes and supports longtime businesses that have helped shape Long Beach’s culture, offering marketing exposure, technical assistance, and networking support. (Long Beach)
- Small business grants and advising services, which provide funding opportunities and one-on-one support to help businesses innovate and grow. (Long Beach)
- BizCare assistance and other resources designed to help businesses navigate city systems, access capital, and connect with economic development teams. (Long Beach)
Still, local producers and organizers have expressed a desire for clearer roadmaps and streamlined support systems that would help them more easily participate in the momentum generated by large-scale entertainment. If the amphitheater’s success is about community uplift, then ensuring small businesses are plugged into that growth is also essential.
I’m genuinely thrilled about the Long Beach Amphitheater. This venue is a huge leap forward for our city—bringing world-class music, economic stimulus, and cultural vibrancy to our waterfront. It’s exciting to see Long Beach cement itself as a must-visit entertainment destination, building on the energy we already see with festivals and events big and small.
That said, part of celebrating this moment is also lifting up the local voices and small business owners who make Long Beach special every day. We’ve heard from many about their challenges navigating city permitting, communication gaps, and fees that feel like barriers. That’s not just chatter—that’s real feedback from community members deeply invested in making this city better.
If we’re building a cultural engine, let’s make sure local businesses and event producers are part of the roadmap, invited into the conversation, supported with clear information, and equipped to benefit from the influx of visitors and energy. Whether it’s through Legacy Business certifications, small business grants, or proactive city engagement, there are tools—but we need more visibility, clarity, and access to them.
I’m all for this amphitheater and for Long Beach’s future. Let’s harness this moment not only to bring in big acts and big crowds—but to elevate our local businesses and creators so they too can thrive in the spotlight.
Long Beach’s amphitheater is more than a stage — it’s a symbol of what’s possible when we invest boldly in culture, community, and connection. As construction progresses and the lineup builds, Long Beach residents and visitors alike can look forward to a summer of music that celebrates both global talent and our city’s unmistakable creative heart.
Here’s to the next chapter in Long Beach’s story — louder, brighter, and more inclusive than ever.
