Pier Plaza Opens Today With Food, Music, Surf
The line between the land and sea will blur when Pier Plaza opens today.
Surf City’s most ambitious public arts project offers rolling walkways, an amphitheater and a mural--all designed to tie elements of local life with the feel of the Pacific.
“The whole thing we tried to do was transition the ocean and the sea into downtown Huntington Beach,” said Ron Hagan, director of community services. “We created this whole sense of movement, so all of the pavement is wavy.”
Pier Plaza, at the base of the Huntington Beach Pier at Pacific Coast Highway and Main Street, includes two restaurants, slated to open in September, and revamped biking and skating paths.
Featured at the plaza is a mural titled “The Poet’s Table” that depicts surfers, swimmers and local landmarks. “It’s a metaphor for the city,” said Ann Thorn, project art manager. “It’s as if a poet or artist were imagining the city.”
The $11.5-million project, created from Rocky Mountain quartzite, comes after years of debate. In 1994, voters rejected plans for a shopping center at the pier’s base.
“We wanted a beautiful, open space,” Mayor Shirley S. Dettloff said.
The city paid for about half the project with bonds; the rest is being funded by the restaurant developers.
Dettloff and other officials will dedicate the plaza at 2 p.m. today. Concerts and other grand-opening events continue through June 14. The International Surfing Museum on Olive Street also is featuring an exhibit on pier history.
“It gives people another reason to come to Huntington Beach rather than, say, Santa Monica, Manhattan, Hermosa or even San Diego,” said Jason Bean, manager of Jack’s Surfboards.
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Surf City’s New Pier Plaza
Huntington Beach will celebrate the grand opening of its new public plaza and amphitheater adjacent to the municipal pier today through June 14. Events will include concerts and a multicultural arts festival. Pier Plaza will feature cultural and recreational events throughout the year. A look at the $6.5-million project and the nine-day grand-opening event:
Parking and Shuttle:
Festival: The city will operate a free shuttle from parking areas to a pickup and drop-off spot at 6th Street and Walnut Ave. on Saturday and Sunday and June 13 and 14. The shuttle will run about every 15 minutes from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
City parking lots: $5 to $6 per day.
For Details:
For more information on grand-opening events, call the Pier Plaza 24-hour line, (714) 374-1777, or visit the city’s Internet site at https://www.ci.huntington-beach.ca.us . In conjunction with the plaza’s grand opening, the International Surfing Museum will open an exhibit of pier-related art. For more information, call (714) 960-3483 or visit https://www.surfingmuseum.org .
Scheduled Themes and Sunset Concert Series
Admission to all events is free. Festival seating: Bring beach chair and blankets
Today
Grand opening and All That Jazz, 2-9 p.m. Keiko Matsui, contemporary jazz pianist, 7:30-9 p.m.
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Saturday
Doo-wop and boogie-woogie, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Ruby’s Shooby Doo Big Band, 4-6 p.m. and 7-9 p.m.
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Sunday
Classic surfin’ and rockin’, noon to 9 p.m. Insight, classical- and rock-influenced instrumental music, 7:30-9 p.m.
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Monday, June 8
Jazzy Monday Blues, 3-9 p.m. Steve Copeland and the Raging Sun, 7:30-9 p.m.
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Tuesday, June 9
Hot funk and rock, 3-9 p.m. Project Tru, 8-9 p.m.
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Wednesday, June 10
We’re movin’ and groovin’, 3-9 p.m. Pete and Portia Seanoa, Polynesian-flavored music and comedy, 7:30-9 p.m.
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Thursday, June 11
“Ghibi,” an original musical by Joseph Cangelosi, 7-9 p.m.
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June 13 and 14
Kaleidoscope, a multicultural arts festival with music, dance, food and cultural exhibitions, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Cultures represented will include African American; Cambodian; Chinese; Indian; Iranian; Irish; Japanese; Jewish/Israeli; Korean; Mexican; Palestinian; Scottish; Thai; Turkish and Vietnamese.
A Children’s Court will host activities, including art, storytelling and ethnic face-painting.
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40-foot-long mural by Los Angeles artist Terry Schoonhoven depicts city’s history. Pier Plaza, with its ocean motif, was designed my Lloyd Hamrol. It is the first artist designed public facility in Huntington Beach.
Approximately 2,000 people can view the stage. This includes about 600 seated in the amphitheater and on the lawn. Audience can stand in the concession area, on the boardwalk, on the pier and in the palm grove area.
Source: Huntington Beach, OCTA, Times reports; Researched by PAUL DUGINSKI / Los Angeles Times
