First-Ever Drive-In Coming To Santa Monica Pier: ‘Nostalgic Beachfront Cinema'

SANTA MONICA, CA — Get your best Greaser fit ready: The Santa Monica Pier will soon transform “into a nostalgic beachfront cinema.”

The Santa Monica Pier Corporation and Pacific Park will host a “Locals’ Night” Thursday with the “first-ever drive-in movie on the Pier featuring the beloved film 'Grease,’” the nonprofit announced last week.

Jim Harris, executive director and historian of the Santa Monica Pier, called the upcoming Locals’ Night “unlike anything we’ve done before.”

“We’re recreating a classic California drive-in experience — only this time, it’s on top of the Santa Monica Pier,” Harris said in a written statement. “It’s going to be a blast for families, film lovers, and car enthusiasts alike. It’s nostalgic, it’s joyful, and it brings generations together in a way only the Pier can.”

A limited number of vehicles will be allowed to park on “the upper Pier deck, recreating a nostalgic drive-in movie night right above the Pacific Ocean,” the nonprofit said.

Those watching from their cars will be able to tune into a dedicated radio station airing the film’s audio, “offering a true retro viewing experience under the stars,” the nonprofit said.

If you want to attend the event but don’t have a car, you can bring your own blanket and chair. Space, however, “is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.”

Guests are encouraged to dress in 1950s-inspired outfits for a costume contest.

Times for the event include:

• Car arrival window from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., with early arrival encouraged for best parking
• Movie begins at 6:30 p.m. (Guests must remain in place for the full screening)
• Guests may leave after 8 p.m.

Before the movie, there will be Books & Cookies Musical Storytime from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. inside the Merry Go-Round Building, the nonprofit said.

There will also be live DJ sets, with "oldies and classic hits spun before the movie from a car-club-style DJ setup on the east side of the Pier deck,” the nonprofit said.

From 6 to 6:30 p.m., there will be live performances by SAMOHI Acapella.

To add the 1950s ambiance, the nonprofit said, “Vintage car enthusiasts will showcase their wheels alongside the event.”

The first 200 moviegoers will get free popcorn. There will also be bar service for guests 21 years old and older.

The Locals’ Night is free, but space is limited and available on a first-come basis, with an advanced RSVP required.

To RSVP for the drive-in visit Eventbrite.