Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade Entertainment Zone (EZ) has completed its first six months, with early results suggesting it has become a useful tool for boosting activity downtown. According to a staff report to City Council (link to report here), the EZ has helped expand and enhance events, support local businesses, and draw residents back to the Promenade, even as overall foot traffic trends remain mixed.
“This Council is working to make Santa Monica clean, safe, affordable, and fun,” writes Councilmember Dan Hall. “The EZ establishment was the start of that ‘fun’ strategy as we reshape Santa Monica’s economy away from retail and towards art, music, cultural, and dining experiences that draw tourists and residents alike back to our Downtown and beaches.”
Launched in June 2025 as the first program of its kind in Southern California, the EZ allows participating businesses to sell alcohol for consumption within a defined public area. Eight of the Promenade’s twelve eligible businesses opted in, and the zone hosted 22 events in its first six months, including Oktoberfest, World Series watch parties, and DJ events. These activations significantly boosted attendance, with some events drawing double or even triple the crowds of comparable dates in prior years.
The program has cost approximately $260,000 to operate, with most expenses tied to staffing, security, and infrastructure like signage. Surveys indicate strong support from restaurants and bars, which reported increased sales, while retailers were more mixed—some citing confusion over rules, such as restrictions on bringing drinks into stores. Residents also responded positively: about one-third said the EZ encouraged them to visit, and most viewed it as beneficial to the local economy.
Despite event success, non-event foot traffic on the Promenade declined compared to 2024, even as the broader downtown held steady or improved. The report suggests this underscores the EZ’s primary strength: driving event-based activity rather than routine daily visits.
On safety, police reported no significant increase in crime, with most categories stable or down year-over-year.
Looking ahead, there is growing interest in expanding the EZ’s hours or days, though officials remain cautious about extending its geographic boundaries. Overall, the city views the program as a promising step toward reestablishing the Promenade as a flexible, event-driven destination.
In October of 2024, Next published an editorial urging the Council to make the city “fun again.” The editorial noted the end of programs such as the Open Streets event Coast, concerts at the pier,
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