Free Twilight on the Pier Shows Return for Fall

Six nights, 24 multicultural musical acts and bands, one pay-nothing price, oh yeah.

What to Know

  • Opens Wednesday, Sept. 5
  • Santa Monica Pier
  • Five Wednesdays, one Sunday

What do a summer Thursday and an autumn Wednesday have in common?

True, they're both days of the week. Nice call.

And yes, they're usually warm, at least around Southern California, a place that can see a toasty fall.

There shall still be nice sunlight later in the day, on both Wednesdays and Thursdays, even into early autumn, meaning outdoor events can flourish, crossing that bridge from summer to the mellow days that follow the warmest season.

And they're two days of the week that will be associated with Twilight on the Pier, the free-to-see event that pop ups, with sound, dance, and panache, at Santa Monica Pier each year.

Or did, for decades, in a slightly different incarnation.

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"Formerly known as the Twilight Concert Series, Twilight on the Pier has been completely reimagined to offer a culturally diverse and relevant Pier-wide celebration," say organizers (hello, Santa Monica Pier Corporation and RH&S Concerts).

The upcoming slate is being called "one of the largest rosters of curated talent in the series' 34-year existence."

Long a staple of Thursday nights in July and August, Twilight on the Pier has found a new home on Wednesday evenings, with a much-later start date in 2018: Wednesday, Sept. 5.

That date was revealed on Wednesday, July 25, when the whole celebratory roster was revealed for the upcoming series.

Things to know?

Look for six nights in 2018, rather than the eight nights you may have experienced in previous years. As mentioned, the concerts will be on Wednesdays, with one exception: The final show, South Asian Sounds, is on Sunday, Oct. 7.

The other nights? There are 24 acts in all and "10+ Cultural Soundscapes," as well as a trio of stages to call upon at the pier. 

The themed nights include Latin Wave, which opens the series on Sept. 5, as well as Australia Rocks the Pier, Island Vibes, Eclectic Indie, Afrobeat and R&B, and, as mentioned, South Asian Sounds, which will bring the vibrant flow on a Sunday in early October.

Bands and artists set to appear include Orquesta Akokan, Betty Who, Judy Mowatt, Brazilian Gilrs, Fela! The Concert, and Red Baraat.

For the full line-up, and the need-to-knows as far as getting to the pier, start times, what you can bring, and all of that important goodness, click. And don't forget one of the most important and good elements of this long-runner of a series: It's free.

See in late summer, and then fall, Twilight on the Pier.

Copyright FREEL - NBC Local Media
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