Photos by Brianna Elce
Costume characters, face painters, a balloon twister and stilt-walkers entertained carnival-goers at the Manhattan Village mall on Saturday as the city celebrated a hundred years of history. Children with painted faces munched on cotton candy while others indulged in old fashioned popcorn, cupcakes and surfboard cookies while enjoying an art workshop and caricature artist.
Manhattan Beach Mayor Nick Tell, clad in an old-fashioned suit, presented a brief history of the city, after which his children and their friends joined him in the official ribbon cutting ceremony. Tell gleefully quoted Toy Story’s Buzz Lightyear, saying that the city will “last to infinity and beyond.”
Longtime residents gathered around blown-up historical photos, exchanging stories and laughing about old Manhattan Beach memories. One photo depicted Hollywood actors, Jock Mahoney and Greta Thyssen, standing next to the Road House in 1957. The caption noted that it was a PR photo for the International Paddleboard Competition from Catalina to the Manhattan Beach pier, now the Catalina Classic Paddleboard Race.
Councilmember Richard Montgomery said the event was a “great introduction” to the city’s centennial and he “enjoyed seeing how people showed up for the kickoff end-to-end, all across the mall.” Montgomery is excited for future events to take place throughout this year.
As part of the next event, students from all Manhattan Beach schools are invited to enter a contest to draw or paint a picture of their favorite thing about Manhattan Beach. One winner will be chosen from each grade level and the winners will have their artwork displayed at the event, Taste of Manhattan Beach, on March 25.
On May 19, residents will be invited to create floats, costumes, and marching groups for the centennial parade, and participate in the historic picnic, which includes food, entertainment, and a historic photo display, “A Walk Through Time.” For more information on joining the parade, contact Jan Dennis at (310) 372-8520.
