DEL MAR — KAABOO Del Mar, the self-described "mix-perience" that blends music, comedy, art, and culinary experiences into a single weekend festival, returned to the Del Mar Fairgrounds for its second year with an even bigger footprint and a headliner guaranteed to pack the Sunset Cliffs stage: Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band.
Buffett's Saturday night headlining set drew a massive crowd to the main stage, many decked out in Hawaiian shirts, flip-flops, and inflatable parrots. The iconic singer-songwriter delivered a career-spanning set heavy on singalongs, closing with an extended singalong that had the entire fairgrounds swaying. Buffett declared San Diego his kind of town, gesturing toward the ocean just blocks away.
KAABOO's second edition represented a significant expansion from its 2015 debut. The festival added a fourth stage, expanded its comedy lineup to include headliners like Jeff Ross and Whitney Cummings, and doubled the number of culinary pop-ups featuring San Diego's best restaurants. The art installations, which set KAABOO apart from traditional music festivals, grew to include over 50 large-scale works scattered throughout the fairgrounds.
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What distinguishes KAABOO from festivals like Coachella is its deliberate focus on comfort and accessibility. There are no dusty fields or portable toilets here — the Del Mar Fairgrounds offer permanent structures, real restrooms, and abundant shade. VIP packages include access to air-conditioned lounges, gourmet dining areas, and premium viewing platforms. It's a festival designed for an older, more affluent demographic that wants great music without the mud and mayhem.
KAABOO organizers emphasized that they were not trying to be Coachella. Their audience, they said, is people who love music but don't want to camp in a parking lot — people who want craft cocktails, great food, comfortable viewing, and an experience that goes beyond just standing in a crowd. Year two, they argued, proved there's a huge market for that approach.
With Fall Out Boy, Aerosmith, and Jack Johnson rounding out the weekend's headliners, KAABOO's sophomore effort cemented the festival as a significant player in Southern California's crowded festival scene. For Del Mar and the surrounding North County communities, the economic impact was substantial — hotels from Encinitas to Carlsbad reported full bookings throughout the weekend.