Main Street HOWL-O-WEEN Event & Pet Costume Contest (Saturday 3-6pm): Enjoy a spooktacular afternoon at the annual Main St. HOWL-O-WEEN event. Dress up your furry friend in their best costume and enter the Costume Contest for a chance to win some fang-tastic prizes. Additional activities: Face Painting Pet Photo Booth Pet Adoption by: theyari.org Pet-Approved Vendors Performances by: Sophie Dance West & Lincoln Middle School Choir. After the contest, grab some popcorn and settle in for a special outdoor screening of the original Ghostbusters. @ Ashland Hill Parking Lot, 2807 Main St. More details here.
Main St. Halloween Movie on the Street – Ghostbusters (Saturday 6-8pm): This year’s movie (as voted by the community) is the original Ghostbusters (1984). Lincoln Middle School Madrigals will kick off the evening at 5:45pm with a 15 minute medley of Halloween carols before a showing It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, followed by the original Ghostbusters! The movies and popcorn are free, but *BYO whatever else you want (food, drink, lawn chairs, blankets). Click here to RSVP to the movie and/or pet costume contest.
EaterLA Profiles Orla, Chef Michael Mina’s New Santa Monica Restaurant: “Chef Mina explores Egyptian and Mediterranean food inside the new Regent Santa Monica Beach resort “serving an ambitious Egyptian-Middle Eastern menu from the Egypt-born chef.” “With its striking view of the Pacific, it will likely become Santa Monica’s new hot spot for oceanside fine dining.” 1700 Ocean Ave. More details here.
The Blue Notebook – A Weekly SMPD Recap Oct. 19 – 25: Here is last week’s update of police activity.
Ride Big Blue Bus for Free on Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 5, Big Blue Bus is proud to support your right to vote by offering free rides for all! More details here.
Regent Santa Monica Beach Opens in Luxurious Style: This SMDP report details the red carpet affair for “the 1700 Ocean Ave. site of the Loews hotel, the Regent serves as the brand’s first flagship property in the Americas, combining 167 guest rooms and suites with a host of amenities.” Looking for 2025 OPA Board Nominations: Nov. 8 is the deadline for 2024 OPA Board Nominations: Reply to this email asap if you’re interested in joining the board and want to learn more about it and/or want to nominate someone else.
Halloween & Dia de los Muertos Safety Tips: This SaMo.gov post details best practices, including how to Walk Safely, Plan Activities Wisely, Keep Costumes Both Creative and Safe, and Drive Safely.
Last Day of SOCKtober! “Socks are the #1 requested item in homeless shelters and rehab facilities, so please donate new socks for all ages at SMTT’s Visitor Center, 2427 Main St. Participate in Santa MoniCARES’ SOCKtober collection drive now until Oct. 31, to make an impact in our community. Last year, we gathered 1,100 pairs of socks, and this year, we aim to match or beat that number.” More details here.
Election / Voting News:
- Oscar de la Torre Faced Multiple Accusations of Racism in Tuesday’s Council Meeting: Here is SMDP’s recap of last week’s very heated City Council meeting.
- Ballot Measures Made Simple Deck: Here is the deck that was used for the recent OPA meeting focused on explaining all the ballot measures.
- Measure K: This Santa Monica Next article in favor it, details “the measure would raise an estimated $6,700,000 annually by placing an additional 8% tax on parking fees charged by a parking facility operator. This will bring the tax to 18%, and because city-owned lots are exempt from the city’s parking facilities tax, the city estimates that most of the increased rates will be paid by visitors and tourists.”
- SaMo City Council Candidate Forum Video: Here is a link to the video of the two-hour Forum that all 10 candidates participated in on Sept. 8.
- Check on Your Voter Registration Status: If you are unsure of your voter registration status go to https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/ to find your current status.
- In Person Voting: In person voting starts Saturday, Oct. 26, 10am – 7pm at Civic Center parking Structure 2nd floor (330 Olympic Dr.). In person in Ocean Park is Nov. 2 -5 at at Joslyn Park (633 Kensington) and Washington Pre-School (2728 4th St.) 10am – 7pm on Sat, Sun, and Mon and 7am – 8pm Tuesday.
- Ballot Box Voting: Ballots can be dropped off 24 hours per day at any participating vote by mail ballot box location in the county. The Ocean Park ballot box is at Ocean View Park (2701 Barnard Way).
- Ballot Tracking: You can track the progress of your mailed in ballot at https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/
- There are many other details that may be necessary to vote (replacement ballots, not receiving ballot in the mail, mobility access issues etc.etc.). See https://www.lavote.gov/home/voting-elections/current-elections/find-my-election-information for additional help voting.
Things To Do This Weekend:
- 10/31 Trick-or-Treating:
- @ the Library: Main Library 10am – 8pm and Pico and Montana Branches 12 – 8pm. More details here.
- Downtown: Participating businesses will be handing out candy 3 – 6pm. More details here.
- Montana Ave. Halloween Hop: 3 – 6pm on Montana Ave. from 6th – 17th Streets. More details here.
- Halloween at the Edgemar (Thursday): Enjoy some thrilling surprises and a party atmosphere, in addition to regular dinner service, set in an original 1928 bowstring truss warehouse space further developed by Frank Gehry in the 1980’s, including Special $10 cocktail menu all-night, additional off-menu surprise beverages, best dressed contest, and a DJ spinning all-night along with ongoing later evening programming. https://www.instagram.com/edgemar.restaurant/
- SaMo Pier Dia de los Muertos Celebration: This two-day event features free, family-friendly programming, community altars, and the interactive “Letters of Life” installation. Friday 5 – 8pm & Saturday 5 – 10pm. https://www.santamonicapier.org/diadelosmuertos
- Main St. Farmers Market (Sunday 8:30am – 1:30pm): Fall Back! Woohoo!! You get an extra hour! So no excuses. Join us for this super fun Sunday line up with special guests School of Rock at 10am and the Matty Gottesman Band from 11am-1pm. You won’t want to miss a single minute. And here is the complete November calendar.
- Westside Food Bank’s Hunger Walk (Sunday 12pm): Proceeds from this FREE walk will benefit those experiencing food insecurity in Los Angeles County. Based in Santa Monica, Westside Food Bank aims to end hunger in our community by providing those in need with access to free, nutritious food. The 5K begins at noon and all participants will receive a free t-shirt and swag bag. @ Ocean View Park 2701 Barnard Way
