Solana Beach settles lawsuit over KAABOO music festival

Danielle Dawson
·2 min read
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Above: A Nexstar video breaking down the high price of concert tickets.

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The city of Solana Beach has settled its lawsuit over the music festival KAABOO’s planned return to the Del Mar Fairgrounds this summer after a three-year hiatus.

In a release on Tuesday, the 22nd District Agricultural Association — the governing board for the fairgrounds — announced the settlement, allowing the festival to go forward with measures to assuage Solana Beach officials’ environmental concerns at the center of the suit.

According to the district, fairgrounds officials negotiated terms into the contract with the group organizing this year’s KAABOO, the Festival Licensing and Acquisition Corporation, to “ensure public safety needs are met, noise levels are managed effectively, and traffic, parking and litter abatement are properly addressed” during the multi-day event.

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“We are excited that KAABOO is exploring coming back to the Fairgrounds to provide another high-quality entertainment option for our community, while managing impacts that are associated with a musical festival of this caliber,” said Solana Beach Mayor Lesa Heebner. “What we all want is a KAABOO that is both fun and safe! We look forward to enjoying the event!”

The lawsuit over KAABOO was filed by Solana Beach last month. In the suit, city officials claimed that the board for the fairgrounds, which straddles both Del Mar and Solana Beach, overlooked considerations like air pollution, public safety and traffic when approving the return of the festival.

It marked the second legal challenge levied against the music festival during its short run at the fairgrounds between 2015 and 2019. A previous suit was brought before an anticipated move to Petco Park after 2019, but the COVID-19 pandemic and other logistical issues put it on hold.

With the settlement in this suit, KAABOO will be able to proceed as planned in September 2024. Details about the line-up have not been released, but festivalgoers can sign-up to be emailed updates about the event on the festival’s website.

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