Carmen at the Beach: Free Opera at Santa Monica Pier

On Saturday, October 17, opening night at LA Opera comes to the sand. While Carmen takes the stage at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Downtown LA, the performance is broadcast live on a massive outdoor screen at the Santa Monica Pier, turning the shoreline into an open-air opera house. It is free, open to all ages, and now in its 13th year as a beach tradition.

When: Saturday, October 17, 2026, family activities from 4 PM, performance on the big screen in the evening Where: Santa Monica Pier, 200 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica Price: Free Run time: About 3 hours 15 minutes, with one intermission

What to expect

Opera at the Beach is built for people who have never been to an opera as much as for regulars. You get the full production, live from the stage, with the ocean behind the screen. Carmen is a good first opera: passion, jealousy and some of the most recognizable music ever written, including the "Habanera" and the "Toreador Song."

Families can come early. Activities begin at 4 PM and include arts and crafts with LA Opera Connects, balloon art, face painting, live performances by local artists, giveaways and food vendors. If you are putting together things to do with kids LA this month, this is an easy one: no tickets to buy and no one worrying about a hushed concert hall.

Practical tips

Bring a blanket or low lawn chairs and a sweater or jacket, because the beach cools off fast after sunset. Outside food and non-alcoholic beverages are welcome, so a picnic is the move. Large coolers, canopies, tents and umbrellas are not part of the plan, so pack light.

The pier area is busy on a Saturday, so give yourself time to park or ride in. Arriving for the 4 PM activities also gets you a better spot on the sand before the crowd fills in. If you are scanning for LA events this weekend, this one stands out as a full evening outdoors for the price of getting there.

The event is presented by LA Opera with support from the City of Santa Monica and L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath. For details and RSVP information, see the listing linked above or LA Opera's own page. Browse more family events across the city and check Los Angeles for what else is happening nearby.