Glow at the Santa Monica Pier

GLOW at the Santa Monica Pier

On Saturday after the Santa Monica Stake Film Festival +1 and I accompanied Boxpilot+1 down to the Santa Monica Pier to see the dusk-'til-dawn art/music exhibition GLOW. Per the press release, "...artists were commissioned to create unique and inviting works of art that welcome the public to be both audience and actor for twelve celebratory hours. Inspired by the wildly successful Nuit Blanche in Paris, Glow takes its spirit from the fabled grunion that live in local waters and come ashore several times a year to spawn in the sand creating a momentary sensation of iridescence."

We were all excited to see the sculptures of light. What we ended up seeing were people.

Lots of people.


People people everywhere

75000 people! A whole sea of people flooding the bridges, the beach, the pier, the promenade, cars filling the streets and bands of cyclists circling in all directions. Officials estimate that 200,000 people came to Glow. It was by far the craziest I've ever seen Santa Monica.

The best description I've hear yet is that it was like Disneyland on its busiest day, but there were no rides, no food, and no bathrooms.


Lines of people crossing the bridge to Glow


Massive Dance Party


Crowds filled the beach


A Brazilian light parade captured poorly with my cam


Glow in the dark bocchi looked cool

And although I was stoked to hear DubLab DJing the dance party, the light sculptures were kind of a dud, few and far between, almost impossible to see with so many people.


Steam and lights can make a cool effect


Lights on the steps matched the rise and fall of the tides, supposedly

We did actually get to witness a grunion run though, this was a first for all of us. I can't tell you how many times I've heard about the grunion runs but as many times as we've gone out to see it, I've never seen even one fish. This time each swell brought a new bundle of these little fishies onto the sand, followed by their squirming descent back to the water, pretty cool.


Grunion Run


Roller-coaster on the Pier


The Pier after dark

And had we not already been so tired from staying up late the night before to see the new Batman we probably would have enjoyed this more. By 1AM we were all pretty wiped out.


The new Santa Monica Pier Ferris Wheel


Renegade+1 in front of the new Ferris Wheel


Ferris Wheel gone berserk

It's really great to have these summer events to look forward to. +1 and I aren't really night owls like a lot of our friends but these events do inspire us to go outside our comfort zone and commune with the masses. Even though a lot of people used this event as an excuse to get smashed and pass out on the beach I do appreciate that many people were just interested in seeing some really great art. LA is made up of all types!