Main St. Parade Needs Volunteers: Volunteers make the Parade happen every year, we need help with everything from ushering participants, affixing last minute decorations, to wrangling adorable young ones trying to crash the Parade for a spot a lime light. If you’re interested in volunteering, please complete the form online HERE.
School Board Votes to Prepare $890 Million in Bonds for November Ballot: “The money would be used to modernize District schools in Santa Monica, where voters will be asked to approve a $495 million bond, and in Malibu, where the District would place a $395 million bond.” More details here.
LA Times “This Must Be Santa Monica” Guide: This new guide is meant to highlight “gems that may linger outside of technical parameters. Instead of leaning into stark definitions, we hope to celebrate all of the places that make us love where we live.” OP gets some live with Pasjoli, The Galley, Shoops, and Cha Cha Chicken.
The Street Seen – Local Laundry 514 Ocean Park Blvd. between 5th & 6th St: This write-up details how from 1913 to 1925, Domestic Hand Laundry, a commercial laundry, operates at 514 Central Ave (now 514 Ocean Park Blvd.).
PuzzleZoo on Main St. Closes: They posted a sign on their door stating “Thank you for 18 years of fun!” Their 1411 3rd St. Promenade store will stay open. The neighborhood will miss you! Thank you tipster Christina for scoop.
Things To Do This Weekend:
- A Surprisingly Fun Time Mystery Party Game Launch Party (Thursday @ Ashland Hill): This is a “new party game worth $1 million!” More details here.
- Pier 360 Beach Festival (Saturday & Sunday): Celebrate the best of beach life with an awesome, FREE, all-ages festival! With ocean sports competitions, live music, food and drinks, interactive games, food and drink sampling, and much more, the festival offers a peek into SoCal beach culture and brings together thousands of guests for a day of good vibes. Whether you’re hanging with the family, competing on land or at sea, or partying with your friends–Santa Monica Pier 360 Beach Festival has got it all! https://www.santamonicapier.org/pier360
- Pico Library Branch 10th Anniversary Celebration (Saturday 11am – 2pm): Join us for a celebration of the Pico Branch Library’s 10th anniversary. The event includes local speakers and neighborhood partners, a reading from Santa Monica Poet Laureate Anne Carmack and children’s book author Ashley Granillo (Cruzita and the Mariacheros), a performance by the Santa Monica Youth Orchestra mariachi band, a concert with the bossa nova band Angelo Metz Quartet, refreshments, arts and crafts, giveaways, and lots more. Festivities will take place in the Annex Amphitheater and in front of the Pico Branch. @ 2201 Pico Blvd. More details here.
- Annual “Celebrate America 2024” Fireworks at Santa Monica College (Saturday): Festivities include three inflatable bounce houses for kids, community service booths, and multiple food booths. @ Corsair Field on the main SMC campus at 1900 Pico Blvd. Gates open at 5 p.m. & Fireworks at 9 p.m. smc.edu/CelebrateAmerica
- The Network SM Queer Picnic in the Park (Saturday 1-4pm): Get to know your neighbors and celebrate the glorious queer community we’re creating together. EAT, DRINK, and BE QUEER! 6/29 Picnic in Hotchkiss Park: @ Hotchkiss Park, 4th St & Hollister. More details @thenetworkSM
- Dogtown & the Legendary Z- BOYS Exhibit @ California Heritage Museum (Opening Reception Saturday 3 – 6pm & Exhibit Runs July 30 – Oct. 27 @ 2612 Main St.): The exhibit features iconic, as well as never seen before, surfboards, skateboards, artifacts, film, and photography illustrating the cultural and historical significance of the legendary Z-Boys and the Dogtown surf/skate movement, featuring boards, photography and art by Kevin Ancell, Warren Bolster, Chris Cahill, Cris Dawson, Shepard Fairey, and others. https://californiaheritagemuseum.org
- Main St. Farmers Market (Sunday 8:30am – 1:30pm): Get ready for the super chill incredibly fun vibes of The Guest House 10am-1pm this coming Sunday. Get ready for some toe tapping foot stomping music.
- Groundbreakers (Sunday 5:00 – 6:15pm): Get to know four African American architects who defied racism to create functional and beautiful environments for people to live, work and play during the mid-century era and beyond. The virtual program Mosaic: Groundbreakers invites local experts to share stories from the life and work of Vernon Brunson, James Garrott, Norma Sklarek, and Paul Williams. More details here.
