Santa Monica is turning six Saturday nights into a free beachside entertainment run, with live music and outdoor movies coming to Tongva Park. The new series starts this Saturday at 7 p.m. and continues through Sept. 12, giving locals a way to stretch a park picnic into a full evening under the stars.
Called Tongva Twilight: Sounds and Cinema, the program is being organized by the Santa Monica Recreation and Arts Department with production company Rum & Humble. According to the Santa Monica Mirror, the title intentionally nods to the city’s former Twilight Concerts while moving the action from the pier to the ocean-facing park lawn.
The Saturday lineup leans ska, funk, salsa, and yacht rock
Ska-jazz band Western Standard Time opens the series this Saturday, followed by New Orleans funk group The Rumble next Saturday. Salsa orchestra Son Mayor is scheduled for Aug. 22 with a free pre-show dance lesson, while yacht rock tribute band The Windbreakers takes the stage Sept. 5.
The calendar is not fully revealed yet: Organizers say additional musical acts and featured film titles will be announced in the coming weeks. For now, the event promises a rotating mix of concerts and open-air screenings, with the movie portion still serving as the evening’s bit of programming suspense.
Picnics and low-back chairs are part of the plan
Attendees are encouraged to bring picnics, blankets, and low-back lawn chairs. The City of Santa Monica describes Tongva Park as a six-acre urban park within walking distance of the Santa Monica Pier, with public art, walking paths, picnic areas, play structures, and ocean views.
The new series follows other recent efforts to make Tongva Park a central gathering place, including the Santa Monica International Jazz Festival in May and public events tied to the FIFA World Cup. With free admission and a setting built for lingering, Tongva Twilight gives the city another reason to keep the park lively after the daytime crowds thin out.
