Santa Monica Street Party Saturday, June 22 to Inaugurate New Downtown Transit Mall
Ride Bus for Free, Shop Local Merchants for Discounts, Take in Music at Pier And Promenade, Win Free Prizes!

SANTA MONICA, CA. - - The City of Santa Monica is exchanging hardhats for party hats as part of a big street party, Saturday, June 22, from 12 noon until 7 p.m., all to celebrate the grand opening of the new Downtown Transit Mall.

The Santa Monica Street Party will feature live music, including the nationally known group, Six Pence None The Richer Music ("Kiss Me," "There She Goes"). Their free concert at the Santa Monica Pier, made possible by STAR 98.7 FM, starts at 5 p.m.

Representatives from the City of Santa Monica will officially open the new Transit Mall in a ceremony at 12 noon at the Main Stage, sponsored by HOT 92.3 FM, on Third Street at Broadway. A Kid's Stage (at Second St. and Santa Monica Blvd) presented by KOST 103.5 FM will feature music, games and entertainment in a 15,000 square-foot play space, including laser tag, Moon Bounce, a giant slide and puppet and magic shows.

The Transit Mall, under construction for 13 months and completed on time, is a 6-square- block area bounded by Ocean Ave., Broadway, Seventh St. and Santa Monica Blvd. The $15-million project created dedicated lanes for the Big Blue Bus, and will speed workers, visitors and shoppers who take the bus around Santa Monica more rapidly. A multitude of new art and architectural elements-bronzed origami figures, art tiles and granite map tiles in the new sidewalks, and new bus shelters and arbors outfitted with art glass-blend form and function in a way that improves any visitor's experience in Santa Monica.

Everyone is invited to take advantage of free Big Blue Bus service for the day, discounts at dozens of Santa Monica's shops and restaurants, as well as free prizes and giveaways. The 6-square block party area will also feature more than 40 local vendors and artisans, and some of Santa Monica's most renowned chefs will be demonstrating cooking and food preparation techniques.

Among the many giveaways will be free passes to the Wild Rivers Theme Park, one per family, for 10,000 lucky riders of the Big Blue Bus. If you drive, you can park for free park in specially designated lots, from which free shuttle service will be offered to and from the festivities. In addition, the free parking lots will be staffed by guides who can answer questions and provide information. The free parking areas are located at:

Ocean Park Blvd. and 28th St., near the Museum of Flying

Pico Blvd. and 17th St. at Santa Monica College

Santa Monica Blvd. and 11th St.

Pico Blvd and Lincoln St. at Santa Monica High School

Partygoers can marvel over highlights of the Transit Mall's art and architecture including four Origami figures-a sea urchin, fish, frog and dragonfly-cast in bronze and hovering above drinking fountains. Outlines cut into in the adjacent pavement represent an unfolded sheet of Origami paper. If the pavement could be folded along the cut lines, it would form the animal at that particular intersection.

In addition, there are 11 new structures patterned after the metal grid work used in turn- of-the-century Paris architecture. There are seven new bus shelters and four new arbors that play off of the motif. The shelters on the westbound streets have blue glass panels and the bus lane is paved with a blue-colored crushed glass to symbolize the city's ocean and marine elements. The shelters and bus lanes on the eastbound streets use green glass to represent the land and plant life.

For more information about the June 22 Santa Monica Street Party, call (310) 451-5444