Newport Avenue, Ocean Beach
Newport Avenue is the commercial heart of Ocean Beach, a strip that took over as the neighborhood's center of activity after the original Wonderland amusement park washed away in the early 1900s. The OB Street Fair and Chili Cook-Off runs 10am to 8pm with the Beer Garden opening at noon, and parking is a mix of free street spots with time limits and public lots, with an underground shaded lot on Abbott Avenue as a fallback.
Before you go
- Official site
- oceanbeachsandiego.com
- Next festival here
- OB Street Fair & Chili Cook-Off, Jun 26, 2027
Worth knowing before you go
- Free street parking exists but some areas have time limits, so check the signage.
- The Newport Avenue beach parking lot fills up quickly, especially with surfers.
- An underground, shaded lot on Abbott Avenue between Santa Monica and Newport is the next option once the main lots are full.
- The Beer Garden opens at noon, two hours before the fair's chili games begin.
Festivals here
Venue basics: Street fair runs 10am to 8pm · Beer Garden opens at noon · Free street parking, some time-limited.
Is it for you
Choose it if
- You enjoy a beachfront street fair with a historic, lived-in feel.
- You don't mind hunting for street parking or using a backup lot.
Think twice if
- You need guaranteed, close-in parking without a backup plan.
Getting there and parking
Festival-specific · OB Street Fair & Chili Cook-OffThe fair runs from 10am to 8pm on the day, with the Beer Garden opening at noon and the first chili cook-off game starting at 2pm.
Ocean Beach has free street parking throughout its commercial and residential areas, though some areas have time limits, so check the signage. There are also several public parking lots. The Newport Avenue beach lot is often full, and when both the pier and main lifeguard tower lots are full, the closest alternative is a shaded underground lot on Abbott Avenue between Santa Monica and Newport.
Accessibility
We don't yet have confirmed information about accessibility at Newport Avenue, Ocean Beach. The venue's own pages are the place to check: oceanbeachsandiego.com.
Camping
We don't yet have confirmed information about camping at Newport Avenue, Ocean Beach. The venue's own pages are the place to check: oceanbeachsandiego.com.
Recently at Newport Avenue, Ocean Beach
Chili Cookers Wanted
From the venue · Mar 20, 2026
Ocean Beach Farmers Market Wednesdays 2026
From the venue · Jan 7, 2026
Ocean Beach Holiday Parade 2025
From the venue · Dec 10, 2025
OB Street Fair & Chili cook-off happening this weekend
OB Street Fair & Chili Cook-Off
Quick answers
What time does the OB Street Fair and Chili Cook-Off run?
From 10am to 8pm, with the Beer Garden opening at noon and the first chili game at 2pm.
Is there free parking near Newport Avenue?
Yes. Free street parking is available throughout Ocean Beach, though some areas have time limits, so check the signage.
Where can I park if the Newport Avenue beach lot is full?
A shaded underground lot on Abbott Avenue between Santa Monica and Newport is the next option once the main lots fill up.
Why is Newport Avenue the center of Ocean Beach?
After the original Wonderland amusement park washed away in the early 1900s, activity shifted to Newport Avenue, where dance halls, a skating rink and a saltwater plunge took over.
Do we have confirmed information about accessibility at Newport Avenue?
We don't yet have confirmed information about accessibility at Newport Avenue. The venue's own pages at oceanbeachsandiego.com are the place to check.
Is camping available near Newport Avenue?
We don't yet have confirmed information about camping at Newport Avenue. The venue's own pages at oceanbeachsandiego.com are the place to check.
A little history
Newport Avenue became Ocean Beach's center of activity after the original 1913 Wonderland amusement park washed away. Dance halls, a skating rink, a merry-go-round and eventually a saltwater plunge took its place through the 1920s as tourists kept coming and the beach town grew into a year-round home.