Coastal Creativity: Arts & Culture in Grover Beach

Grover Beach isn’t just sand and sunshine. It’s also a blossoming artsy scene with live music, murals, indie shops and community heart. Let’s take a sun-drenched stroll through the town’s vibrant creative scene.

A band plays at the Stone Soup Music Festival in 2024.

Live Music: Summer Vibes & Festival Jams

Since 2002, Grover Beach has proudly rocked the block with a free Summer Concert Series, traditionally at Ramona Garden Park. This year, the series has moved to 16th Street Park while Ramona gets a construction makeover. Bands are lined up for each Sunday from July 13 through August 17. It’s six weeks of sun, good vibes and live tunes from local and regional bands covering all genres, as well as food booths and local vendors.

But the music magic doesn’t stop there. In late August, the annual Stone Soup Music Festival is put on each year by the Clark Center. This free festival has been running for more than 30 years. It combines diverse live music from regional bands with dance performances, food, arts, crafts and a kid zone.

The owner of First Class Seconds thrift store poses in front of the mural wall on the side of her shop.

Public Art: Murals & Utility Box Funk

Grover Beach brings public art directly to the street, literally. The Utility Box Art Program along West Grand Avenue started in 2021, with seven boring utility boxes getting “muralized” by local artists. These eye-catching canvases portray coastal scenes, wildlife and agricultural echoes, adding a little creative zing to our main drag through town.

One of the seven painted utility boxes in Grover Beach. This box on 9th Street and Grand Avenue is called "Octo Reflections," by Scott Lakey.

Grover Beach also has several eye-catching murals around town. There’s a massive floral scene on the side of Ace Hardware, some winged selfie-style murals on the wall of thrift store First Class Seconds, and a large fence mural in Ramona Garden Park that kids have added to over the years.

A group stands outside The Pottery, Grover Beach's open pottery studio that has classes, date nights and more. Photo courtesy of The Pottery.

Artsy Businesses: Ceramics, Hobbies & More

Grover’s main drag is a treasure trove of creative storefronts:

• The Pottery is a hands‑on ceramist’s dream: adult and kids’ wheel‑throwing classes, workshops, open studio time, even date nights!

• Zacster’s Hobbies & More is your gateway to art supplies, RC cars, puzzles, craft kits, robotics—basically a grown‑ups‑and‑kids playground. A Nextdoor community favorite, it’s got creative inspiration for any age. 

• Beads Beads Beads is a creative little spot that’s gem-packed with jewelry and accessory supplies.

• The Caffeinated Cat Cafe is a fun spot for feline lovers anytime, but they’ve also got a big calendar of creative crafting events like crochet, painting and more. 

• The Grover Beach Community Library is a volunteer-powered haven with fantastic programming like book clubs, crafts, kids’ activities and more.

  
  

Come Get Groovy with Us

Whether your jam is live music, molding clay or snapping selfies next to a painted utility box, Grover Beach brings the culture in spades. It’s a quirky, colorful fusion of community spirit and West Coast free‑spiritedness—authentic, dynamic, and undeniably Californian.