Pier celebrates 110th birthday

On September 9, the well-known Santa Monica Pier commemorates its 110th anniversary. The first concrete pier on the West Coast, the pier originally opened in 1909 to transport sewer pipes. It wasn’t till nearly a decade later that the spot became a hub of activity with the opening of a pleasure pier and quickly gained a reputation among locals as the best fishing spot in town. Charles Looff who built Coney Island’s first carousel saw the potential of the Santa Monica Pier as a momentous attraction and began constructing his pleasure pier. Looff’s pier opened in 1916 and featured the remarkable Hippodrome building, now a national historic landmark. Today, the Santa Monica Pier serves as a city icon and features year-round free programming for travelers and locals alike including the outdoor concert series Twilight on the Pier, yoga classes and the beloved children’s experience Wake up with the Waves.
The Santa Monica Pier will celebrate its birthday on Monday with several events including: free rides from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. on the historic merry go-round, a photo retrospective in the Looff Hippodrome, “Save the Pier!” Play 9/8 at 7:30 p.m. and 9/9 at 6 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. at the West End of the Pier, free swing at the Trapeze School from 5-7 p.m. for the first 40 guests, 110 bonus tickets at the Playland Arcade for every 110 tickets won, free game card for any Pacific Park midway game with every merry go-round ride, $1.10 admission to the Heal the Bay Aquarium and learn 110 fun facts about the ocean, $11 fish ‘N chips at the Albright and $11 ceviche and draft beer at Rusty’s.
Visit https://santamonicapier.org/pierbirthday/ for more information.