By Lookout Staff

June 18, 2026 -- City Hall and other public facilities will close Friday, and municipal services will be scaled back or suspended, as Santa Monica celebrates the official end of slavery in the U.S. on June 19, 1865.

In addition to City Hall, the Santa Monica Public Library, the Transit Store, the Police Activities League (PAL) and the offices at Virginia Avenue Park will be closed.

The Santa Monica Swim Center, 2225 16th Street, will be open for recreational and lap swimming from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., while the tennis office at Reed Park will be open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Memorial Park Fitness Room will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., while the Memorial Park Gym/Drop-in will be open noon to 5 p.m.

Parking meters will not be enforced on Juneteenth, except for meters that are enforced daily according to posted signage. Meters that are enforced daily must be paid.

All City of Santa Monica beach lots and pay-by-space lots are enforced 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, including Juneteenth.

Street cleaning will not take place on Friday. However, preferential Parking (residential/visitor permits) will be enforced. There will be no trash, recycling, or yard/green waste pickup.

Pacific Park will celebrate Juneteenth with a special lighting event that will take place Friday evening when the 174,000 LED lights on the world's only solar-powered Ferris Wheel will feature animations and transitions marking the historic date.

The Ferris wheel lights can be seen from dusk until 11:35 PM each evening and can be viewed online at www.pacpark.com/live.