Thousands of revelers descended on Manhattan Beach Wednesday night for the Annual Pier Lighting Ceremony. Santa pulled up his sleigh, and a long line of parents and children snaked through Metlox Plaza waiting to meet him. Children got balloon animals and hats from balloon artist Holly Daze, and a snow machine turned the area into a winter wonderland.
Elsewhere in downtown, musical acts brightened store fronts and street corners. Downtown businesses stayed open till 9 p.m. Kids crowded into Bo Bridges gallery to give his virtual reality technology a try, while the Yoga Loft put out a festive trunk show. A store window decorating contest produced fierce competition and tough choices for the City Council members acting as judges.
At the pier itself, the lights came on at 7 p.m., and Charlotte Sabina and her band serenaded the crowd. Trees dot the pier, and seasonal lights added to a fading supermoon. It wasn’t all “White Christmas” and “Silver Bells,” but with the smell of pine needles and the sound of crashing waves, no one was complaining.
–Ryan McDonald
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