The Sensational Show Goes On Again In This South Bay Beach City
By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Travel Blogger
The house parties were rocking (some reserved, some wild), Joe’s Band was playing, people were dancing, The Strand was full of onlookers and the people were hanging out and sitting in beach chairs along the main street.
Quite a bit of libations were being poured – and consumed – and then everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at the sky.
This was the scene for another sensational, spectacular and scintillating Manhattan Beach Holiday Fireworks show, held the second Sunday of December along the Southern California coast in Manhattan Beach.
As a long-time resident of the area, I have experienced this event more than a dozen times and it is one of the highlights of the year here. And that’s saying a lot, considering all the events we have here in this Los Angeles beach town.
And don’t ask me to rank this one against any others in the past. That’s because they are all great. For years, myself and others had a routine. When I lived in North Manhattan Beach – El Porto to long-time locals – people from the neighborhood would gather at a house, fill up our “concealed cocktails” and walk down The Strand toward the pier.
It was a mile and half stroll and along the way we would stop at a couple “warm up” house parties other friends were hosting. Eventually, we would arrive at the pier and then rush up to the big singles party – Dr. Al’s house – and bounce between there and The Strand. Afterward, we would squeeze into Shellback Tavern.
This year, the party launch point was another friend’s house on the Hermosa Beach/Manhattan Beach border. About an hour before the fireworks, we headed to the pier, listened to Joe’s Band and watched the fireworks. Afterward, we went to Dr. Al’s where things became a fun, buzzy blur.
If you’re visiting Los Angeles the second Sunday in December, then I highly recommend you make the Manhattan Beach Holiday Fireworks on of your top things to do while here. It could well be the highlight of your trip.
Holiday cheers!
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