SM BEACH — Santa Monica is giving a whole new meaning to all-nighters.
Instead of staying up late and filling up your textbooks with useless highlighting or watching re-runs, head on down to the beach for a night at Glow, the city's bi-annual art and culture event.
Themed "Dusk and Beyond," the festivities officially begin at 7 p.m. at Santa Monica Beach, pier and Palisades Park, and will feature 20 original light installations, art displays and exhibits from international and local artists until 3 a.m.
Confused on what to do while you're there or how to get around? The Daily Press has the low-down:
Before the event
Download KCRW Music Director Jason Bentley's Glow Soundscape, a podcast featuring a personal tour of the Glow Zone and artist commentaries. The podcast is available at www.kcrw.com.
Sign up for the latest event updates at glowsantamonica.org or follow it on Facebook at www.facebook.com/glowsantamonica.
How to get there
Avoid fighting with the chaotic traffic in Downtown Santa Monica by biking and taking the bus.
Street closures (for vehicles) begin at 5 p.m. until Sunday at 3 a.m. Notable closures include: Ocean Avenue, Colorado Boulevard, Main Street and Broadway, Pacific Coast Highway and Seaside Terrace.
Officials are encouraging cyclists to take advantage of free bike valets, which will be offered starting at 6 p.m. at Palisades Park between Broadway and Santa Monica Boulevard, south of the pier and off of the bike path and in the parking lot west of Crescent Bay Park and north of Bicknell.
As a result of the closures, Big Blue Bus routes will detour around Downtown starting at 6 p.m. Stops west of 11th Street will be closed, but the buses will continuing running on the same schedule within 11 blocks of the event. For more information, visit www.bigbluebus.com.
But if you really can't get rid of road fever, parking lots west of Lincoln Boulevard will be charging $5 to $20 beginning at 4 p.m. Cheaper alternatives will be available at the beach lots south of Pico Boulevard and north of the California Incline and most parking meters on the boulevards east of Sixth Street are free after 6 p.m.
The city offers real-time parking availability at www.smgov.net/parkingspacenow.
What to do
More than 100 Los Angeles-based artists competed to feature their original works at Glow, but only 11 were chosen, along with a few other international artists who were invited to participate.
See John Carpenter, Jerry Digy and Alex Deutschman's "Shoreline Luminescence," a video projection onto the sand that draws from the movements of visitors.
Or stop by the "Barbecue Train" by Pentti Monkkonen, a revamped steam train that will be cooked on all night by the folks from Border Grill.
Ever wanted your face in the limelight? Visit Anne Herlihy's tent and she'll offer you a chance to sing your heart out, while she simultaneously projects your face onto a balloon in the moonlit sky.
Join international artist Céleste Boursier-Mougenot as she builds a moving foam sculpture, drawing inspiration from what she sees in a video feed of the event.
Other artists include Joshua Howell, Aaron Zeligs, Gil Kuno, Corey Madden, Bruno Louchouarn, Keith Mitchell, Christopher O'Leary, Hadrian Predock, John Frane, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, Steve Roden, Kutch Stanaway and Synn Labs.
While walking around the Glow Zone, be prepared for spontaneous musical productions, as 30 musicians from Machine Project sporadically stop and play their snare drums, trumpets and flutes. The performances are part of the art installation "Wander Musicians: Killsonic."
When you need a place to sit or just want to take a break, head over to the rooftop at Santa Monica Place, which will have DJs spinning tracks from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Whether you're picking up costumes or want to get some shopping in, Nordstroms and Bloomingdales will extend store hours until midnight and 11 p.m. respectively.
Where to eat
If you're looking for a place to grab a bite during or after the event, many restaurants on and around the Third Street Promenade plan on keeping their kitchen doors open a little later than usual, with many offering discounts as well.
The food court and some restaurants at Santa Monica Place plan on staying open as late as 4 a.m., with a few offering reverse happy hours (10 p.m. to 4 a.m.).
Interactive Cafe, Mariasol Restaurant and Joe's Pizza will be open all night, while Yankee Doodles, Bite Bar & Bakery and Britannia Pub will offer 20 percent off meals and certain menu items.
For a quick dinner, stop by at the two food truck courts on the beach north and south of the pier.
In terms of drinks, just remember to order them before 2 a.m., as bars will stop serving alcohol due to state law.
For a full list of discounts, visit www.santamonica.com/visitors/what-to-do/glow.
Then, when you're good and tired, go home.
