LAM brings ‘Gidget’ to Laguna

While celebrating the surf culture history, the Laguna Art Museum

will be making history of its own.

At dusk during next Thursday’s First Art Walk at Picnic Beach at

Heisler, Laguna Art Museum will be showing the surf classic “Gidget.”

It’s the brainchild of Laguna Art Museum and the idea got great

response from the Arts Commission months ago. Both city manager Ken

Frank and arts coordinator Sian Poeschl don’t believe an event like

this has happened before.

“Given the beauty of Heisler and weather of Laguna Beach what

could be better than showing a movie there,?” said marketing director

Stuart Byer.

The Surfin’ on the Grass: Surf Movies in the Park, as it is called

is in conjunction with the Laguna Art Museum’s Surf Culture, which is

an ongoing exhibit and series that includes weekly lectures, films

and activities in relation to celebrating the history of surf to

modern days and the influence it has had on culture.

Preceding the showing of the 1959 surf classic starring Sandra

Dee, James Dill and Cliff Robertson will be a live dance performance

by choreographer and dancer Keith Glassman.

Tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Laguna Art Museum is hosting a

special cancellation of the first ever U.S. Postal Service surf stamp

-- a commemorative stamp of surf legend and pioneer Duke Kahanamoku.

It’s great for collectors. The stamp’s designer Karl T. Herman

will be available to sign the envelopes. In addition the post master

and Mayor Wayne Baglin will be a part of the ceremony.

“It is a great expansion of offering free cultural art

opportunities. It’s wonderful to see dance set against film set

against the visual of the museum. It shows a great collaboration of

our community,” Poeschl said.

Laguna Art Museum is at 307 Cliff Drive. For more information call

497-8971 or go to www.lagunaartmuseum.org.

* SUZIE HARRISON is a reporter for the Laguna Beach Coastline

Pilot. She may be reached at 494-4321.