By Lookout Staff

May 23 , 2025 -- City Hall will be closed on Monday to celebrate Memorial Day, some parking meters won't be charging and the Big Blue Bus (BBB) will operate on weekend hours.

Woodlawn Cemetery will hold its annual Memorial Day Ceremony and Pacific Park's Ferris Wheel on the Pier will feature vibrant red, white and blue patterns throughout the holiday weekend.

In addition to City Hall, the Santa Monica Public Library, the Memorial Park Fitness Room and Gym, the Police Activities League (PAL) and the offices at Virginia Avenue Park will be closed Monday

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 2 p.m.

On Memorial Day, the pool at the Annenberg Community Beach House, 415 Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Passes go on sale at 9:00 a.m.

Parking meters will not be enforced on Memorial Day, 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 Memorial Day.

Street cleaning will not take place on Memorial Day. Street cleaning regularly scheduled for Monday will take place on Tuesday.

However, preferential Parking (residential/visitor permits) will be enforced.

There will be no trash, recycling, or yard/green waste pickup on Monday.

The following BBB lines will will not be in service on Monday:
Rapids 3, 7 and 10, and Routes 5, 15, 16, 41, 43, and 44 will not be in service. The Transit Store and Customer Service will be closed.

A Memorial Day Ceremony "honoring those who gave the ultimate sacrifice to our country to secure our freedom" will take place at 11:30 a.m. at Woodlawn Cemetery, 1847 14th Street.

The ceremony will include special musical performances, guest speakers, a flag ceremony and a color guard presentation.

A community BBQ following the ceremony will take place at the Elks Lodge, 1040 Pico Boulevard. Veterans eat free, while all others pay $10, including tax.

Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier will commemorate Memorial Day weekend with a tribute as its iconic Ferris wheel lights up with a 90-foot-tall, waving, animated American flag.

Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May and honors the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military.

Unofficially, Memorial Day marks the start of the summer season.