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Coming up this week, head outside to celebrate summer, whether it’s on the Promenade, on the Pier, or on the beach with library. Also, join Assemblymember Richard Bloom in helping collect school supplies for those in need.

Downtown Santa Monica Heads Outside for Summer

Join Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. this Friday from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. for a Picnic on the Promenade, during which Santa Monica Bike Center will be hosting a fix-it clinic for your bike.

“Escape from the cubicle and enjoy lunch at Downtown Santa Monica’s Picnic on the Promenade. This annual summer series eases locals and Promenade walkers into the weekend every Friday afternoon with live music, classic board games, interactive challenges, and free services from Downtown merchants. Bring a lunch or grab-and-go from one of Downtown’s award-winning eateries and soak in the sun,” according to the DTSM website.

Then, come back to the Promenade later in the evening for a screening of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory with the return of “Cinema on the Streets.” The movie starts at 8 p.m.

“Sing along with Oompa Loompas and savor delicious Belgian chocolate bars from KC Chocolatier. A few fortunate moviegoers will unwrap Golden Tickets and win free gifts from the gourmet chocolate company. Installations include an interactive photobooth and a chance to win VIP seating in an outdoor viewing lounge styled by West Elm,” DTSM’s website says.

Real Estate at the PIer

The second installment of the Twilight Pier Concert series is this Thursday, July 16, featuring indie rock groups Real Estate, hailing from New Jersey and Minnesota-based Hippo Campus.

“Intimate and spare, these ten new songs unfold as one impossibly warm, enveloping suite – conjuring quiet, late-night drives down wooded highways, rural rambles with friends (and maybe a love interest) on the sunniest afternoons of the year, and hazy summer evenings spent alone, thinking back to those times and the people who were with you for them,” the Twilight Concert site says about Real Estate’s latest album “Atlas.”

The site describes Hippos Campus as, “Four Minnesotan boys making music.” You can listen to their sound here. The concert starts at 7 p.m.

Donate School Supplies

Assemblymember Richard Bloom has put out the call for those who can to donate school supplies for children in need. On Thursday, July 16 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., join the Assembly member at his office for an open house and school supply drive (before heading to the Pier concert, of course).

“This open house and school supply drive is a great opportunity to donate school supplies for students in need and meet me to share your thoughts and concerns on the issues facing our community and state,” Bloom wrote on his website.

“School supplies collected at this event will be donated to students at our Hollywood Resource Fair & Family Movie in the Park Event on July 25, 2015. Students are in immediate need of backpacks, lined notebooks, pocket folders, pencil boxes/cases, glue sticks, scissors, crayons, pencil crayons, markers, #2 pencils and pink erasers,” he wrote.

Bloom’s Santa Monica office is located at 2800 28th Street, Suite 105.

Plan Your Library’s Future

Santa Monica Public Library officials will give an update on the system’s strategic plan on Thursday, July 16 at 6 p.m. in the Multi-purpose room at the Main Branch.

Over the course of April, library officials toured the system, meeting with residents about the system’s strategic plan. Thursday is a chance to hear where the city is in that process now.

Then, on Saturday, July 18 from 10 a.m. to 3 pm. join your librarians at the beach, this time at Dorothy Green Park, where Ocean Park Boulevard meets the beach.

“Grab your towel and sunscreen, we’ll bring the books; Santa Monica Public Library is heading to the beach! Summer and reading belong together like surf and sun, so we’re setting up shop on the shore and signing out books to literature hungry beachgoers at a series of five ‘pop up‘ libraries between June 26th and August 28th,” according to library officials.

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