ITEM 6-K

Council Meeting: April 11, 1995

TO:            Mayor and City Council

FROM:          City Staff

SUBJECT:       Recommendation To Aprove Community Oriented 4th of
               July Festivities 

INTRODUCTION

This report recommends that Council approve a daytime community
Fourth of July celebration to take place in  Palisades Park and
on the Santa Monica Pier and assist Santa Monica College with
their July 1, 1995 fireworks celebration.

BACKGROUND

In 1994, the City Council approved a community alternative to the
traditional fireworks displays of years past.  This successful
event combined Fourth of July festivities with the official
reopening of Palisades Park and included small musical groups,
giant puppets and assorted performers spread throughout the Park
from the Pier to Arizona Avenue.  The celebration afforded
residents an opportunity to participate in family oriented,
outdoor activities in celebration of Independence Day. 
Additionally, the event introduced the improved and enhanced
Palisades Park.  

Budgetary constraints as well as public safety and operational
concerns, have made the traditional Fourth of July Fireworks
celebration impractical in recent years.  "Dawn's Early Light"
was initially planned as a replacement for evening fireworks of
July 4th to alleviate severe traffic and public safety problems. 
Despite the early hour (4:45AM), "Dawn's Early Light" ultimately
attracted crowds estimated at 250,000 and necessitated full
deployment of police officers because of the event's scope. 
Police costs for "Dawn's Early Light" in 1991 included overtime
deployment for the beach, Pier, and Promenade.  Full deployment
was required and event costs reached $78,273.  Net beach parking
revenue of $11,520 offset some City expenses.  

For several years, Santa Monica College has produced a modest
fireworks display and picnic in their stadium which is popular
with City residents.  The event is held on a weekend eveing
preceding July 4 and this year will occur on Saturday, the first
of July.  The College had to reduce the fireworks display last
year due to budget constraints and would welcome City assistance
in supplementing the event this year.

DISCUSSION

Staff proposes an afternoon community celebration similar to last
year's event in Palisades Park and extending onto the Pier.    It
would provide Santa Monica residents with a chance to observe the
Fourth of July holiday in a manner which would not attract the
large crowd which has created concerns in past years.

A Santa Monica-based cultural events producer would plan the
event for 1995 to appeal to all Santa Monica residents, including
families and senior citizens.  Performing artists could include
classical and folk musicians, dancers, jugglers, barbershop
quartets and other performers traditionally associated with
Fourth of July celebrations.  This observance would take
advantage of the geography of Palisades Park, encouraging
visitors to stroll from the California Incline south by locating
small groups of musicians and other performers along the Park's
path.  The event would draw strollers onto the Pier for a free
hour-long concert to cap off the day's activities in an upbeat
manner.  The Fourth of July would be celebrated within the
community not as a production spectacle, but rather as an
intimate event in the Park and the Pier.  Both the Recreation and
Parks Commission and Pier Restoration Corporation are supportive
of this type of event on Fourth of July weekend.

In addition, the City would serve as a co-sponsor of the
fireworks display at Santa Monica College planned this year for
Saturday, July 1 by contributing $5,000 to enhance the event's
fireworks budget.  The combination of the College and City
celebrations would provide City residents with a festive
community oriented Fourth of July.

BUDGET AND FINANCIAL IMPACT

Costs associated with co-sponsoring the Santa Monica College
fireworks on Saturday, July 1 and production of a community
celebration on Tuesday, July 4 in Palisades Park and on the Santa
Monica Pier would include: college fireworks, $5,000; community
event production and talent, $20,000; banner design, production
and installation $2,050;  announcement postcard design,
production and mailing $1,300; park maintenance and clean up,
$1,000; staff overtime and contingency, $650; for a total of
$30,000.

This event would represent a major savings over previous
fireworks spectaculars while providing the citizens of Santa
Monica with smaller scale but high quality events.  If Santa
Monica produced "Dawn's Early Light" again in 1995, cost
estimates are as follows:  Police Costs, $50,000; Beach
Maintenance, $15,500; Fireworks, $15,000; concert, $15,000; Fire
Personnel $350, for a total of $95,850.


Funds are available for the proposed celebration in
nondepartmental account 01-700-274-00000-7785-00000 upon Council
authorization. 

RECOMMENDATION

Staff recommends that Council endorse the proposed co-sponsorship
of Santa Monica College's July 1, 1995 firework's celebration and
production of an afternoon community event in Palisades Park and
the Santa Monica Pier on July 4, 1995 and authorize staff to
proceed with event planning and preparation.

Prepared by:   Susan McCarthy
          Director, Cultural and Recreation Services

          Mar¸a Luisa de Herrera
          Cultural Arts Administrator