SOLANA BEACH — The Del Mar Fairgrounds has reached a settlement with the city of Solana Beach regarding concerns about the negative impacts of the multi-day KAABOO arts and music festival planned for this fall.
The settlement ended Solana Beach’s lawsuit less than a month after it was filed. The city, which directly borders the Fairgrounds to the north, said its intent was not to stop KAABOO from happening but to compel the Fairgrounds to mitigate potential adverse impacts on the city, including air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, noise, traffic, and off-site parking.
In a statement on Monday, the 22nd District Agricultural Association — the state board managing the Fairgrounds— said it had negotiated its contract terms with KAABOO promoter Festival Licensing and Acquisition Corporation (FLAAC) to address Solana Beach’s concerns.
“We always strive to be good neighbors to our surrounding communities as we host and produce events for San Diego County residents and visitors every year,” said Carlene Moore, the CEO of the District. “We are thrilled to have reached a swift resolution, and we look forward to continuing to work closely with FLAAC and with the City to do our part to ensure that KAABOO’s homecoming is a fun, memorable, and exciting experience.”
Solana Beach Mayor Lesa Heebner said the city is looking forward to the festival and appreciates the collaboration from the Fairgrounds.
“We are excited that KAABOO is exploring coming back to the Fairgrounds to provide another high-quality entertainment option for our community while managing the impacts associated with a musical festival of this caliber,” Heebner said. What we all want is a KAABOO that is both fun and safe! We look forward to enjoying the event!”
KAABOO is returning to Del Mar in September, with exact dates still to be confirmed. The three-day festival previously operated at the Fairgrounds from 2015 to 2019, drawing around 35,000 people daily in its last year.
