After more than a year of planning, Santa Monica’s long-anticipated Entertainment Zone will officially launch on June 13, bringing a new suite of programming and regulatory flexibility to the Third Street Promenade.
City Council formally approved the ordinance earlier this month, greenlighting a three-block district where outdoor performances, alcohol service and branded activations will be permitted under expanded guidelines. The designation, covering weekends from Friday to Sunday, allows live events between 11am and 10pm and authorizes extended patio service hours for bars and restaurants.
“This is something we’ve been working toward for over a year,” said Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. (DTSM) CEO Andrew Thomas during the May board meeting. “We want to activate the district in ways that we think will bring people in and support the businesses that are here.”
Thomas said the initial soft launch will begin Friday, June 13, with a fuller schedule ramping up through the summer. The first major event under the new framework is “Pride on the Promenade,” set for June 21 and expected to include music, dance and other family-friendly entertainment.
Marketing staff confirmed that alcohol will be permitted at Pride this year, a first for the annual event. DTSM will host a community meeting in the coming days to brief stakeholders, including the Santa Monica Police Department and Community Development staff, on rules and requirements for activation within the new zone.
Although DTSM and City staff emphasized a cautious rollout, several board members and members of the public used the meeting to float broader ambitions, including an expanded footprint and high-profile activations tied to global sporting events.
Mari Miranda, co-owner of the mobile batting cage startup SportsFest, presented a proposal during public comment calling for a fan-centric installation during the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup. The international tournament, which runs from June 15 to July 13, will feature matches in the Los Angeles area and is considered a key lead-in to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Miranda and her business partner, Christina Holt, are proposing to install a “futpool” court, a soccer and billiards hybrid game, directly on the Promenade during the tournament’s early days.
“We wanted to present the idea of putting out the foot pool courts, which would be custom built at 10 feet by 18 feet, to be put within the street on the various blocks,” Miranda said. “Those would provide spaces for anyone who's going to be here on the entertainment zone to maintain and have a space on the Promenade that's not a bar. It's exclusive, it's nowhere else, it's innovative, and it's really relevant.”
Miranda said she invited representatives from Coca-Cola, Adidas, and Fanatics to see a prototype activation at Two Bit Circus over Asian American and Pacific Islander weekend. She noted their interest in potential sponsorships timed to the Club World Cup.
“Those sponsors that came by this weekend were actually interested in activating something June 15 through June 25,” she said. “FIFA is going to be hosting the Club World Cup in Pasadena. We would love to provide an activation that showcases the Promenade as the fan zone for the World Cup in 2026.”
Miranda emphasized that the foot pool concept was designed specifically for downtown Santa Monica’s layout, noting that her mobile installations occupy a shipping container footprint and were originally conceived as assets for the LA28 Olympic cycle.
The board responded favorably, although no formal action was taken. DTSM staff indicated the event calendar would evolve throughout the summer, with flexibility to incorporate additional activations based on feasibility and sponsor interest.
Meanwhile, City staff stressed that the Entertainment Zone’s success will depend on early implementation data. Community Development Director Armine Chaparyan said metrics including trash volume, calls for service, and pressure on public infrastructure would be closely monitored before any consideration is given to expanding the zone beyond its initial boundaries.
“Our goal is to have a soft launch... and really try to figure out what the kinks are,” Chaparyan said. “We won’t know until we actually get it going.”
Chaparyan said staff would return to City Council with a report within six months to evaluate the Entertainment Zone’s impact and revisit the possibility of expansion. During the meeting, DTSM board member Luke Cain raised concerns about alcohol limitations on blocks with fewer bars, and suggested consideration be given to extending the designation to adjacent streets for large-scale events like Pride.
Chaparyan acknowledged the idea but cautioned against overcommitting too soon. “Right now, we're basing all of our numbers and estimates on what's currently happening in downtown,” she said. “But until it starts to get used and we see the impact, we won’t know if we have the capacity to extend it.”
Beyond programming, staff also reported progress on related infrastructure upgrades. Thomas highlighted the rediscovery of an RGB-enabled lighting canopy installed two years ago, which may now be outfitted with audio for immersive performances. “It’s not quite going to be a Fremont Street Experience,” he said, “but it is a fully programmable overhead [system].”
Other updates included enhanced sanitation efforts, expanded safety patrols and installation planning for new padel courts on 13th and 4th streets, which could be operational later this summer.
Though board discussion ranged widely, from digital signage policies to board election procedures, the Entertainment Zone remained the centerpiece of the meeting. With summer around the corner and international attention on Los Angeles sports, board members signaled their intent to treat the zone as both a proving ground and a launchpad.
Thomas emphasized that the upcoming months would be critical in assessing the district’s performance and refining future programming. “We’re extremely excited about what’s in store,” he said.