Solana Beach, Del Mar Fairgrounds settle lawsuit that threatened KAABOO – NBC 7 San Diego

Two sides in a lawsuit that could have prevented the KAABOO music festival from returning to Del Mar this summer have reached an agreement, they announced Tuesday.

The City of Solana Beach had previously filed a lawsuit against the 22nd District Agricultural Association, the organization that manages the Del Mar Fairgrounds, claiming they approved the music festival without first going through a proper review process set by the California Environmental Quality Act.

The city previously raised concerns the fairgrounds did not put measures in place that would reduce the impact the festival has on residents and nearby businesses, and that the taxpayers would be left paying for “mitigation measures that they believe should be paid for by event organizers.”

The lawsuit against the 22nd District Agricultural Association could halt the return of the summer music fest. NBC 7’s Audra Stafford reports. 

On Tuesday, the city and the 22nd Agricultural Association released a joint statement that said those concerns had been addressed in a settlement.

“We have come to terms on a Settlement Agreement that respects the community’s desires to ensure public safety needs are met, noise levels are managed effectively, and traffic, parking and litter abatement are properly addressed while we all enjoy another highly successful KAABOO music festival,” the statement said.

While the sides did not detail the exact terms agreed to, Solana Beach Mayor Lesa Heebner previously noted some of the city’s requests, including geofencing to prevent Uber and Lyft pick-ups and drop-offs in residential neighborhoods, addressing noise and light pollution, traffic control, increase in sheriff presence, clean up and preventing parking and tailgating in neighborhoods.

The 22nd Agricultural District is renting out the fairgrounds to an independent group, the Festival Licensing and Acquisition Corporation or FLAAC, for KAABOO.

KAABOO’s last event was in Del Mar in 2019 and the festival has faced its share of problems. Many people with tickets to the 2020 event said they never got their money back after that year’s festivities were canceled due ot the pandemic.

And, the relationship with the 22^nd District Agricultural Association ended on bad terms when the former festival ownership planned to move it to Petco Park after 2020.

After years of lawsuits, multiple changes in brand ownership and a terminated relationship with the Padres franchise, KAABOO announced in 2023 its return to the Del Mar Fairgrounds, under new ownership with FLAAC.

The KAABOO website does not list exact dates or have any other info except for a message that says “coming soon.”