Santa Monica Pier is throwing open its parking deck Thursday for a free, all-ages night built around the 50th anniversary of Dogtown and the Z-Boys, the scrappy crew of surfers-turned-skaters whose Westside style rewired an entire sport. The centerpiece is a 7:30 p.m. drive-in screening of Stacy Peralta's documentary Dogtown and Z-Boys, with original Z-Boy Tony Alva spinning a live vinyl DJ set beforehand. Locals' Night runs from 3:30 to 10 p.m. on October 15, with free admission for anyone willing to plan around a few ticketing quirks.
The celebration is presented by Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier and Playland Arcade, according to pacpark.com, and it doubles as the Pier's recurring community celebration, as Santa Monica Daily Press reports. The Pier's site frames it simply: Locals' Night celebrates Dogtown's 50th anniversary with a drive-in screening of Dogtown and Z-Boys, according to santamonicapier.org. Free tickets and full event details are posted at dogtowndrivein.eventbrite.com, per the same pacpark.com listing.
How the Night Unfolds, Hour by Hour
Plan first around the kind of access you need. Drive-in ticket holders can enter the Pier parking deck from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. to claim a viewing spot, according to Santa Monica Daily Press. Guests with general chair-seating tickets should bring a blanket or chair for the designated movie area. The skate ramp is open from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m.; skaters need a ticket and must sign a waiver in advance. For younger guests, Books & Cookies holds musical storytime at 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. in the Merry-Go-Round Building.
The event offers several ways to spend the afternoon before the film: a classic-car meet with DJ Cee Rock runs from 4 to 8 p.m., and cheer squads from St. Monica and SAMOHI take the main stage at 5 p.m. Salsa lessons with Courtney Parisi begin behind Marisol at 6 p.m. Alva's vinyl set follows at 6:30, then Chino Espinoza y Los Dueños del Son play at 7 p.m. ahead of the 7:30 screening.
Why Dogtown Still Echoes Through Skate Culture
The Zephyr Competition Team, better known as the Z-Boys, came together on the Westside in the mid-1970s. They brought a surfer's approach and outlook to skateboarding, helping the sport develop a style and cultural presence of its own, according to santamonica.com. Jim Harris, the Pier's executive director and historian, said the crew's influence remains visible in skateboarding and Southern California culture around the world, per Santa Monica Daily Press. Reflecting on the team's legacy, LA Weekly wrote, “The Z-Boys defined the language, made the idols, built the myths,” according to laweekly.com.
The night ends with Cycotic Youth playing at 9 p.m. Organizers are also marking the 100th anniversary of Route 66, whose western end is at the Pier, Santa Monica Daily Press reports. The paper says guests are encouraged to arrive by rideshare, Metro, Big Blue Bus or bike.
Getting to the Pier
The Santa Monica Pier’s directions and parking page says the walk from the Downtown Santa Monica Expo Station to the Park takes approximately 10 minutes and that bikes are allowed on the Pier. For the event’s drive-in, ticket holders should also note the parking-deck entry window: 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Getting a Ticket, and Who's Behind the Party
Because drive-in, general chair-seating and skate access all require advance reservations, anyone planning to attend should lock in tickets at dogtowndrivein.eventbrite.com before heading to the Pier. Locals' Night is made possible by the Santa Monica Pier Corp., a nonprofit, Santa Monica Daily Press reports — notably, the corporation is not fully funded by the City of Santa Monica, according to the same account. With free admission and a lineup stretching from cheerleaders to vinyl DJ sets, the Pier is betting that one night of nostalgia can still pull a crowd the way Dogtown's skaters once did.
