Santa Monica Pier Historian Jim Harris recounts the pier’s history during the Santa Monica Pier Open House on Saturday, October 27, 2012. This interactive public outreach session gave stakeholders the opportunity to share their stories, concerns, and ideas regarding pier operations and planning for the future. Focus groups, history tours, free carousel rides, presentations and more were featured at the open house.

A witch riding a broomstick was spotted  flying above Pacific Park Bay on Wednesday, October 17, 2012.

Southern California Edison  Electrician Lavelle Sullivan exchanges the meter of the historic Santa Monica Pier neon sign for a smart meter version on Monday, October 15, 2012. The neon sign was installed in 1941 by the Santa Monica Businessmen's Association to celebrate the opening of the pier's newly built ramp. Today it stands as a symbol for the California lifestyle and is a huge tourist destination all year long.

A City of Santa Monica Public Works Waste Water  employee power washes the  Santa Monica Urban Runoff Recycling Facility public art sculpture on Monday, October 15, 2012.

Santa Monica College Cheerleaders show team spirit during a pep rally for Saturday's home coming football game against Santa Barbara City College Vaqueros. SMC is 6 to 1. (Tuesday, October 23, 2012)

Barbie poses for a photo during Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA 13th annual “Mattel Party on the Pier" at Pacific Park on Sunday, October 21, 2012. The event featured a silent auction, carnival games filled with fabulous Mattel Toys, unlimited access to Pacific Park rides, dogs from UCLA People-Animal Connection, and celebrity appearances.

The "Mattel Party on the Pier" is the signature fundraiser for Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, selling out each year, with some 1,400 attendees. The event generates funding for the hospital, allowing it to launch innovative projects and meet its most urgent needs. Proceeds from last year's event provided direct support for the hospital's inflammatory bowel diseases programs, research into autism-associated epilepsy and treatments to improve immune function for children who have undergone chemotherapy and bone marrow transplants. Mattel Inc. is the event's title sponsor.

Jakob Herrmann completes the 100 Mile Urban Ultramarathon at the Santa Monica Boardwalk on Sunday, October 21, 2012. The route for the 100-Mile Endurance Challenge cuts through the heart and hugs the coast of Southern California. Athletes who participated in this event ran through three counties and 20 cities. This event started at Corona, CA on Oct. 20, 2012 at 8:30am and finished some time the next day at the Santa Monica Pier. There is a 30-hour time limit to complete the 100 mile course. All proceeds go to the 100 Mile Club® charity.

Janet Schwartz, owner of Woodland Farms Vintage displays her hats during the Vintage Fashion Expo at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on Saturday, October 20, 2012. The show features 85 dealers of vintage clothing, accessories and textiles and every style imaginable, from belle epoque finery to bell bottom jeans. Timeless American designs by Bill Blass, Bonnie Cashin, Halston & Claire McCardell are available from a wide range period (1850-1980). The styles are as diverse as the repressed Victorian era, the Roaring Twenties, the humorous platform-shoe/hip-hugging era of the 1970s and the more recent Retro Styles.