Happy June, party peeps!

It’s your Summer Nights Field Guide captain and KCRW DJ, Tyler “Boogie” Boudreaux here, and I want to give a big thank you to everyone who THREW DOWN this Monday for the first Summer Nights of the season at Maydan Market!

From the spacious food hall filled with intoxicating aromas from around the world to the dancers on the floor grooving to Jason Bentley on the decks, we all forgot it was a Monday night… until the next morning, am I right?

What an amazing start to summer. Now the ball is rolling all season long, and this Saturday night marks the first free, all-ages public Summer Night event! Bring your swimsuit (metaphorically) and the kids (literally) cause we’re dancing with the fishies after-hours at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium! Scroll down for the deets.

📋Included in this week’s field guide:

• A party playlist for the fishes
• Good Food Recs to grab some bites around San Pedro
• A behind-the-scenes look at the aquarium's sea creatures with Molly Chapman

Hot tip: RSVPs for this party are almost filled up, so smash the button below, quick!

Saturday, June 6th — Summer Nights with Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
Music — KCRW DJs Raul Campos & SiLVA

Schedule:
7:00–9:00 PM — KCRW DJ Raul Campos
9:00–11:00 PM — KCRW DJ SiLVA

*ೃ༄Party Playlist*ೃ༄
What kinda music do you think a Garibaldi fish would listen to if they had an underwater iPod? Here’s what I would groove to if I were a fish. Throw on this one-hour seaside playlist for you and the crew to listen to while driving or taking public transit to the aquarium

The party is from 7 PM to 11 PM, so you've got plenty of time to explore the different aquarium exhibits showcasing all types of Southern California marine life. There will be a bar serving boozy bevvies for attendees 21+ and bites from a delicious, chef-curated food court featuring an organic, non-GMO, locally-sourced menu. For more food recs, check out Good Food's neighborhood recs below.

KCRW DJ Raul Campos, aka Señor Discos, is a KCRW Summer Nights pro and you’re always in good hands when he’s on the 1s and 2s. He’s opening the night with his signature selections of indie dance, remixes, new wonders, and familiar favorites.

KCRW DJ SiLVA will keep the BPM high into the night, throwing down her special sauce of dance music with flavors of house, electronica, disco, and boogie. You’ll be on the dancefloor so long you might forget there’s a massive gray whale down the hall.

Last summer, we had so much fun popping up at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium. Although we’re sad there won’t be a grunion run this weekend, you can still get some seaside action with ocean-inspired participatory activities for the whole family! Plus, we highly recommend taking a stroll along Cabrillo Beach to soak up the smells and wonder of the Pacific Ocean.

As always, I invite you to stop by the street team table, say hi to the volunteers, and load up on new swag that you can ONLY get in person at Summer Nights! I’m loving the new designs and already am plotting to score both the very big and the very small tote bag. If you’re a tote bag hoarder like me, trust me, you will looooove.

🥘 GOOD FOOD’S NEIGHBORHOOD 🍱
RECOMMENDATIONS  

Evan Kleiman and the Good Food team have some San Pedro restaurant recs, whether you're headed to the party or day-tripping the area.

• Nam's Red Door Vietnamese
• Compagnon Wine Bistro
• Caffe Gazelle
• Niko's Pizzeria
• Colossus (specifically, their new San Pedro restaurant/bakery location at 511 S. Harbor Blvd. on the ground floor of the Vivo Apartments)
• Liv’s

Since 1935, Cabrillo Marine Aquarium has been THE place to learn about Southern California marine life. Located within the bustling Port of Los Angeles, the Aquarium offers a unique juxtaposition between commerce and nature — where huge cargo ships and whales traverse the same channels, and the surrounding Coastal Park offers opportunities to visit tidepools, a sandy beach, and a salt marsh. And did you know that the aquarium was designed by Frank Gehry? The architecture alone is worth the visit.

KCRW Community Growth Manager Molly Chapman recently visited the aquarium and met up with aquarist Lindsey Williamson to learn about a few of their Southern Californian sea creatures. Check out the cute TikTok here and make sure you’re following @kcrwinla on TikTok for more adventures!

And as Molly says in the video, “Don’t be abalone on a Saturday night!” Commune with your fellow KCRW listeners, have a dreamy stare contest with new aquatic friends, and dance the night away to upbeat, feel-good music. We can’t wait to see you on the dancefloor by the sea!

– Tyler "Boogie" Boudreaux 

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