This Sunday Santa Monica residents and visitors alike will have the chance to play a life size version of a classic board game, as the 3rd annual MAINopoly: Taste of Main Street event returns.
The community event, put on by the Main Street Business Improvement Association (MSBIA), is intended to mirror the classic board game Monopoly by giving participants a culinary walking tour of restaurants, juiceries, ice cream stores, coffee shops and other Main Street businesses.
Attendees will receive food tastings at participating locations, which will feature items such as pulled pork sliders from Areal, lobster shooters from Knuckle & Claw, gelato tastings from Dolcenero Gelato and coffee from Bulletproof Coffee. Select restaurants will also be offering drink specials, like $4 draft beers, $5 cocktails and $5 shots.
“This event brings out people to experience the many unique offerings that Main Street Santa Monica has to offer,” said Mark Becker, general manager of the event's starting location, Areal. “It also raises money for Heal the Bay and helps fund the annual Summer SOULstice event, which is a free music festival held every year on Main Street.”
Becker said the Summer SOULstice event will be on June 26 and features tribute bands with music similar to The Allman Brothers, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Businesses participating in MAINopoly include, A Real Treat Candy Boutique, Areal, Ashland Hill, Aussie Pie Kitchen, Bareburger, Beyond O2, Books and Cookies, Bulletproof Coffee, Cafe 212 Pier, Dolcenero Gelato, Enterprise Fish Co., Finn McCool's, Knuckle & Claw, Lula's Cocina Mexicana, Manchego, Novel Cafe, O'Brien's, Peet's Coffee, Pink Elephant, Pressed Juicery, Rick's Tavern, Three Twins Ice Cream
The event will include beer gardens, a Kids Zone at Books & Cookies, a "Go to Jail" location at Pink Elephant and a VIP lounge sponsored by Shock Top with hosted beer, food, DJ, snack and games.
“One thing we hope everybody will do is discover all the great places that are on Main Street,” said Gary Gordon, executive director of MSBIA. “We have had a lot of new stores that have opened [on Main Street] and it's quite a mix. It's not a big box store street. It may have elements of a hometown, then it's also got the beach close by and it's kind of just a great mixture. And if people aren't familiar with it we hope they come and like it and the people who are we hope they come back for the event.”
Attendees are encouraged to dress in clothing inspired by the classic board game or patriotic attire.
Those who check off all of the locations on their "game board" and turn it in at the official after party at Areal will be entered to win a “Taste of Main Street" prize package with gift certificates to participating locations.
The event will go from 3 - 8 p.m., beginning at Areal (2820 Main St.). Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 the day of for general admission, and $40 in advance and $50 day of for VIP, which includes access to the VIP lounge and beer garden. Kids tickets are $15 for children 5-12 years old. Tickets can be purchased at www.mainopolysm.com or http://mainopolysm2016.eventbrite.com.
