The event will open with a reception at the Miles Memorial Playhouse
As it observes its 150th anniversary this year, Californian city of Santa Monica will kick off six month long celebrations with the 2025 State of the City event, set to take place on July 17 at Christine Emerson Reed Park and the recently reopened Miles Memorial Playhouse.
In a press statement, Santa Monica Travel and Tourism, city’s tourism promotion organisation, says that the event will open with a reception at the Miles Memorial Playhouse.
The reception will include light refreshments and information displays by various city departments. Moreover, residents will have an opportunity to meet and interact with Mayor Lana Negrete and incoming City Manager Oliver Chi.
It adds that the music will be provided by DJ Bukue One, and activities for youth and families will be available in the park.
The statement adds that at 17:00, the formal programme will begin with remarks from Mayor Negrete and other city officials. Moreover, Santa Monica Poet Laureate Anne Carmack will deliver a reading as part of the opening ceremony.
From 17:30 onwards, the event will continue with live performances in Reed Park. The lineup includes Downbeat 720, a teen performance programme, String Theory and artists participating in the Bridge The Gaps initiative by Los Angeles Performance Practice.
The statement says that docents from the Santa Monica Conservancy will offer guided tours of the Miles Memorial Playhouse throughout the evening. It says that additional activities include trivia, giveaways, youth-focussed programming and a beer garden hosted by Santa Monica Brew Works.
Lana Negrete
“This year’s State of the City goes beyond a status report, it is a tribute. As we mark our 150th year, we are honouring the resilience of our community, the renewal of beloved spaces like the Miles Playhouse and the energy of a city that continues to grow and evolve with intention,” says Negrete.
Oliver Chi
“Resilience has always been at the heart of Santa Monica. The restoration of the Miles Memorial Playhouse is a powerful reflection of that spirit, showing how, through hard work, vision and creativity, we can breathe new life into something meaningful to us all. This event is an opportunity for our community to come together, celebrate that resilience and look ahead with optimism for what’s to come,” says Chi.
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