A Birthday Beach Picnic with a Shaded Buffet at Tower 28

This March 2022 birthday party at Lifeguard Tower 28 was planned around a big crowd, which meant thinking about the food area as carefully as the seating. The family brought in their own spread, so we set up two buffet tables under a shade umbrella to keep everything out of the sun, a dedicated food station separate from the lounging area.

For the rest of the setup, we placed eight umbrellas across the picnic space and brought two igloo coolers with 40 waters so nobody had to hunt for a drink. A chalkboard sign at the entrance greeted guests with a birthday message for the guest of honor.

Tower 28, in the Ocean Park stretch of Santa Monica beach south of the pier, has room to spread out a group this size, and the nearby lot makes it easy for guests to arrive in waves. A shaded buffet is one of the simplest upgrades for a birthday of this size: it gives the food a home base and lets guests graze throughout the party.