| THERE WILL NOT BE AN OPA NEWSLETTER ON MONDAY, MAY 25 (MEMORIAL DAY) |
| 11th Annual MAINopoly: A Taste of Main Street (Sunday 1 – 5pm): mainopolysm.com |
| This is one of my personal favorite days on Main St. every year. This all-ages community event is a fun take on the classic board game, giving players access to tastings at over 20 participating businesses. Stop at every location for a chance to win a “Taste of Main Street” Prize Package.Entertainment Zone: For the first time ever, MAINopoly guests can sip while they stroll! Thanks to a special City of Santa Monica permit, attendees 21+ can enjoy alcoholic beverages throughout designated areas of Main Street during the event. Grab a drink from the “Go to Jail” Beer Garden or select participating locations and enjoy it as you make your way from stop to stop. Participating establishments include Ashland Hill, Jameson’s, Juneshine, Lula, & Manchego. $30 for advanced tickets but no tickets are needed to participate in the Entertainment Zone and enjoy an adult beverage while strolling Main St. during the event.Here is NBC4 coverage of the event. |
| Santa Monica’s Coastal Commission Fight Is Moving From Sacramento Back to City Hall: Two separate but closely connected debates over the future of development in Santa Monica are now unfolding at the same time: one in Sacramento over Assembly Bill 1740, and another locally over the city’s long-delayed Local Coastal Program. Together, the fights could reshape how housing, transportation, and development projects are approved in the coastal zone for years to come. This SaMoNext article explains both paths. And this SMDP article discusses how “Residents who packed a special City Council meeting Monday largely backed the city’s pursuit of a certified Local Coastal Program but sharply questioned whether the council’s sudden urgency was driven by genuine coastal stewardship or an effort to contain the political fallout from a controversial state bill that removes part of the Coastal Commission’s authority from the city.” |
| Every Santa Monica library branch returns to four-plus days a week: Beginning Monday July 6, every branch will operate at least four days per week. Main Library and the Pico Branch will both expand to five days. The schedule was intentionally rebalanced so that at least two library facilities will be open every day, Monday through Saturday, meaning residents always have a Library option available within the weekly cycle. Ocean Park adds Tuesday service 12 – 8pm. |
| Median Rent in Santa Monica Drops 8.8% Over Past Year: The median rent in Santa Monica fell to $2,302 in May, dropping 1% over the past month and 8.8% over the past year, according to the Apartment List May 2026 Rent Report. The report shows median asking rents of $2,179 for a one-bedroom apartment and $2,612 for a two-bedroom unit. The citywide apartment vacancy rate stands at 5.3%, up 1.4 percentage points from the same time last year. More details here. |
| Councilmember Lana Negrete Newsletter: Here is her weekly newsletter. “Some quick highlights: ESPN announced our beach as the broadcast home for the Super Bowl. The full five-week World Cup activation calendar dropped, anchored on our Pier. The Downtown Police Substation has a ribbon-cutting date. The Library is finishing the job of getting every branch back to four-plus days a week. And the Realignment Scorecard the City has been building since October is now public, so anyone who wants to track whether the work is moving can do it for themselves.” |
| Dine Latino Restaurant Week: Now through Sunday, May 24, more than 200 local restaurants representing the culinary traditions of 20 Latin American countries, are offering prix-fixe menus and special dishes. The Latino Restaurant Assn. aims to celebrate and provide essential support to participating Latino restaurants across L.A. County, which have faced mounting challenges since ICE raids began last year. Participating SaMo spots include La Monarca Bakery (1300 Wilshire Blvd.) and Fogo De Chao (1551 Ocean Ave.). dinelatinomap.tiiny.site/ |
Things To Do This Weekend and Next Week
- Pier Locals’ Night Season Finale: Some nights on the Santa Monica Pier just feel like summer. Thursday, May 21 is one of them, as Locals’ Night returns for its spring season finale from 3:30 to 10 p.m., bringing together live music, storytelling, classic cars, and community celebration across the Pier in one unforgettable evening—free and open to all ages. This special edition also marks the beginning of Pacific Park’s 30th anniversary celebration, with select moments woven into the evening, including a community “thank you” tribute on the Ferris wheel and the debut of Sweet Rose Creamery for guests. Thursday, May 21, 3:30-10pm instagram.com/santamonicapier
- Rick Crocker 5k Run/Walk Coming Back on 5/21: Lace up and join us for the 6th Annual Rick Crocker 5K Challenge in support of the Santa Monica Police Activities League (PAL). Thursday, May 21, SaMo Pier More details here.
- Thursday May 21 is Bike Anywhere Day: Big Blue Bus is celebrating its growing community of multimodal riders, by offering free rides to bicyclists! On May 21, your ride is FREE when you board Big Blue Bus with a bike or helmet.
- “Circle Bar’s Triumphant Return To Santa Monica” (Friday): This Toddrickallen blog post details “One of Santa Monica’s most legendary nightlife venues is set to return on Friday, May 22. Circle Bar, the longtime OG Main Street bar and nightclub known for its dimly lit, oval-shaped bar, packed dance floor, and historic past, will reopen under new ownership. At the helm are local restaurateurs Mark and Addie Van Gessel, the duo behind the Venice staple Hinano Cafe and Santa Monica’s Tavern on Main.”
- Main St. Farmers Market (Sunday 8:30am – 1:30pm):Come join us this weekend for an amazing all-star show starting with Dance with Miss Alice kid performance 9-9:45am and YES! Masanga Marimba is back to help us celebrate the holiday 10am-1pm. Look for the Something Good pet treats pop up. Plus, it’s stone fruit season! Make sure to get the best California cherries. See you there.
- Santa Monica Small Business Resource Fair (Tuesday, 5/26 @ SM Main Library): Join LISC, the LA County Economic Development Corporation, South Bay Small Business Development Center and City of Santa Monica for a business resource event featuring grants, procurement opportunities, and financial readiness workshops to help your business grow. The event is free but registration is required (click here for more details and to register).
- Downtown Police Substation Opening (Thursday, May 28 12pm): SMPD will cut the ribbon on its new Downtown Substation inside Santa Monica Place (395 Santa Monica Place, Suite 122). The 863-square-foot facility broke ground on March 6 and now anchors a permanent SMPD presence at the heart of the Promenade, Pier, and Transit Mall corridor. Council, staff, residents, and community partners are all invited.
- Free Mariachi Ensemble Concert: Directed by Mary Alfaro, the ensemble will perform a program of traditional rancheras, boleros and huapangos. Thursday, May 28, 11:15 a.m., SMC Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th St.
Upcoming Calendar of Events
- Upcoming OPA Book Club Meetings: Planned dates are June 3 (Remarkably Bright Creatures), July 8 (Trust), Aug 5 (The Night Watchman). Email alexabarrett@gmail.com for more info. All meets are at 6pm at the Ocean Park Library (2601 Main St.).
- OPA Monthly Meeting: Monday, June 8, 6pm @ Ocean Park Library
- Ocean Park Social Club Cookbook Club: A Cookbook Club is when a group of people choose 1 cookbook and each make a different recipe, and then enjoy the meal together. Our first one will Monday, June 1, 6-8pm at the Meditation Center (237 Hill Street). Our first cookbook will be: Nothing Fancy by Alison Roman. If you would like to participate or have questions, email me at samosocialclub@gmail.com.
- Ocean Park Social Club 2nd Annual June Gloom Chili Cookoff: June 7. Last year, our Chili Cookoff was a raging success with over 15 submissions of delicious cornbread and chili recipes by our neighbors! Come back to reignite the community and the competition. Click here to email Tess if you’d like to volunteer and RSVP here.
- Ocean Park Social Club – The Jar Returns to Ocean Park: After a wonderful first event with the national non-profit, The Jar, our friends are back for another dinner & salon on June 24. This next session will be a “Convener” model, where we invite you to bring 2-3 guests with you. This model broadens the community further, allowing us to create a more diverse room of voices. Tickets are $10/person (and includes dinner and dessert!).RSVP HERE and direct questions to samosocialclub@gmail.com and our partner abigail@jumpinthejar.org.
- Ocean Park Social Club Summer Picnic Series: Mark your calendars for our bi-weekly summer evening picnics at Hotchkiss Park on the following Thursdays 5:30-7:30pm: July 9, July 23, Aug 6, Aug 20, and Sep 3.
- Want to Volunteer for Future OPA-Sponsored Heal The Bay Adopt-A-Beach Clean-Ups? Contact Dave Tann at dogtowndave@yahoo.com. He is the coordinator for the OPA/Heal The Bay events, always meeting at Tower 26. Dates this summer are 6/28, 7/26, & 8/30.
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