Event and Q&A hosted by Rob Schwenker
Pacific Ocean Park—or “P.O.P.” as it was commonly known in Los Angeles from the ’50s through the ’70s, was extraordinary in both its glamorous rise and spectacular fall. As a family-oriented attraction in the ’50s with modernist-styled rides designed by Hollywood’s best, P.O.P.’s attendance occasionally surpassed that of Disneyland. Christopher Merritt and Domenic Priore’s spectacular history includes hundreds of images, most of them unseen elsewhere, including original ride designs and illustrations (including Tiki-rich, space age, and nautical rides). P.O.P. was often widely featured in movies and television shows throughout the ’60s. Its Cheetah auditorium hosted important early rock shows, including those by Ritchie Valens, The Doors, and Pink Floyd.
P.O.P. was located at the dividing line between Santa Monica and Venice, the only spot during Prohibition-era Los Angeles where residents were allowed to dance and consort in a carnival-like atmosphere.
