Warped Tour is back: what to know about its 30th anniversary stop in Long Beach

After a six-year hiatus, Warped Tour is making a long-awaited return — and it’s coming home.

On July 26-27, the Vans Warped Tour will take over Long Beach’s Shoreline Waterfront, bringing back its classic fusion of punk, hardcore, emo, and alt-rock energy for a two-day blowout. The 2025 edition, celebrating Warped’s 30th anniversary, is one of three limited dates across the U.S., joining events in Washington, D.C., and Orlando, Florida. Long Beach will host the largest crowd of them all, with an expected 80,000 fans.

For Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman, bringing the event back to Southern California was more than symbolic — it was a full-circle moment. “OC was always this place for action sports and music,” Lyman once said, reflecting on the festival’s early roots in “Tearing Down the Orange Curtain,” a book by Daniel Kohn and Nate Jackson, chronicling the region’s punk rock legacy.

In March 1995, Lyman envisioned Warped as a hybrid of punk shows, skate culture, and surf community — a portable carnival of chaos where bands like Sublime, No Doubt, and Quicksand played alongside skateboarders flying off half-pipes and bikers jumping across ramps.

Warped Tour became the launching pad for countless Orange County artists and a rite of passage for young fans discovering music beyond the mainstream. Its early years were raw, rowdy, and often unpredictable — like the time Sublime’s notorious Dalmatian, Lou Dog, bit one too many skaters on the tour bus and got temporarily banned, as noted in the book “Tearing Down the Orange Curtain.”  But that messy authenticity was exactly what made Warped so beloved.

Now, three decades later, Sublime returns to the Warped Tour stage — not just as a headliner, but as a cornerstone of its legacy. Hailing from Long Beach, the band played a pivotal role in defining the tour’s earliest sound and attitude. Their raw sets in the ‘90s helped set the tone for what Warped would become, fusing punk, reggae, and skate culture into something entirely their own. Their 2025 set marks both a homecoming and a reminder of the chaos and creativity that started it all.

And with support from Insomniac Events, the Southern California-based mega team behind EDC and Nocturnal Wonderland, the tour is in full swing. Lyman’s vision remains intact: keep tickets affordable, bring the next generation out to shows, and return Warped to the millennial emo and alternative fans who made it matter.

Here’s what fans need to know before heading out to the two-day music festival.

1. The lineup is stacked with newcomers and nostalgia

Warped Tour is back with a vengeance, with the Long Beach edition lineup reading like a who’s who of scene legends and fresh faces. Headliners include 311, A Day to Remember, Atmosphere, Asking Alexandria, Black Veil Brides, Ice Nine Kills, The Interrupters, and Rise Against — and that’s just scratching the surface.

The poster also teases more surprises the week of the show, which leaves the door open for some potential jaw-dropping guests.

Fans of mid-2000s punk, emo, ska, metalcore, and pop-punk will feel right at home with acts like Bowling for Soup, Hawthorne Heights, Motion City Soundtrack, The Vandals, and The Aquabats alongside newer artists like Beauty School Dropout, Honey Revenge, and TX2.

Throw in nostalgic scene favorites like From First to Last, Cobra Starship, and Cartel, and you’ve got a truly multigenerational mix.

2. Don’t miss Warped Unplugged

Warped Unplugged offers fans a more intimate space to experience the heart of the festival. With stripped-down acoustic sets, immersive art installations, and a communal vibe, it taps into the early DIY spirit of Warped Tour. The area also features nonprofit booths, a mental health awareness zone, and a massive graffiti wall where fans can leave messages, memories, or just tag their name. It’s where music meets meaning — and a chance to connect on a deeper level.

3. Explore the Warped Tour Museum & Record Label Row

Celebrating 30 years of music, sweat, and scene history, the on-site Warped Tour Museum will feature archival photos, original flyers, video footage, and fan-submitted memorabilia. It’s a nostalgic deep dive into the bands, fans, and moments that helped define an entire generation of alternative music lovers. Just steps away, Record Label Row brings out the OG labels that helped launch many of Warped’s biggest acts. Stop by to score exclusive merch, check out surprise signings, and maybe catch your favorite band hanging by their booth.

4. Skate, BMX & High-Flying Demos All Weekend

Keeping true to its action sports roots, Warped Tour will host daily skateboarding and BMX demos featuring pro riders throwing down on half-pipes and custom ramps. Expect flips, tricks, and adrenaline-heavy showcases that channel the tour’s original energy. Whether you’re reliving the era of punk or catching it for the first time, this part of the festival brings the noise, even without the amps.

5. Snag your free Sticker Pack + Patch

In celebration, the festival is giving back to fans with a free sticker pack and commemorative patch, while supplies last. To claim yours, just download the Warped Tour app, fill out your info, and show your confirmation at the sticker pick-up booth on-site. More information can be found on their social media for the promo.

6. Info on bag policies, check-in, and times

Warped Tour box office and will call will be open from 9 a.m.- 9 p.m. on show days, and doors will open at 11 a.m. Attendees should be prepared for thorough TSA-style security checks, including bag and pocket searches, pat-downs, and possibly shoe removal.

The festival has a strict no-re-entry policy for safety reasons. Only clear bags measuring no larger than 12″x6″x12″, one-gallon clear freezer bags, small clutches up to 6″x9″, and empty hydration packs with limited compartments are allowed; large non-clear backpacks or purses are not permitted.

Warped Tour – Long Beach

When: July 26-27

Where: Shoreline Waterfront, 386 East Shoreline Drive, Long Beach

Tickets: Tickets start at $153 for two-day passes and are available at warpedtourlongbeach.com.