Canva's Return Beach Picnic for 100 at Tower 12, Santa Monica

Canva's team liked its first beach picnic with us so much that they asked for the exact same thing the following year. In April 2025 we set up again on the sand at Lifeguard Tower 12, just north of the Santa Monica Pier, for about 100 guests on a Friday afternoon.

The layout mixed two kinds of seating: 80 pillow seats around low tables and 20 banquet chairs at regular-height tables for anyone who would rather not sit on the ground. Two canopies covered six buffet tables for the food, and coolers of still and sparkling water sat alongside. For the games area we brought three cornhole sets, three Spikeball sets, a volleyball setup and two ladder-toss games. A DJ played from his own shaded spot, with an umbrella and rug set out for him at the edge of the picnic.

Lunch came from Mendocino Farms, a Santa Monica caterer we work with often. The Canva team picked up the order themselves, along with extra drinks, and arrived just as setup finished. Canva also brought its own photographer to cover the afternoon.