It’s been two weeks since Pacifica Municipal Pier was closed after city officials noticed cracking, separation and displacement of the concrete walkway and structural elements, making it unsafe for use. Chit Chat Cafe’s pier location was red-tagged, and within days crews were demolishing the cafe after the damage worsened.
The future of the pier remains unknown. Emergency stabilization work began last week, and on Monday lawmakers called on Gov. Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency to make state resources available to the city.
The closure not only has local officials reeling, but also the community members who consider the pier a second home: fishing and crabbing enthusiasts, whale watchers, former cafe patrons and sunset seekers.
“It felt like ‘Cheers’ for fishermen,” said Dave Gaufo, a member of the nonprofit West Coast Crabbers.
The closure has impacts beyond the city of Pacifica, as the pier is known for its accessibility as the only one in the Bay Area that doesn’t charge for fishing and crabbing. Read more about efforts to save the pier and the significance of its closure in Angela Swartz’s feature.
Julia Brown
Six Fifty Editor
editor@thesixfifty.com
As the Pacifica Pier faces an uncertain fate, its closure has the community that calls it home reeling
Locals and visitors have rallied around Chit Chat Cafe and the city of Pacifica as crews work to stabilize the pier.
Peninsula homeowners try to cash in on World Cup visitors
For some Peninsula homeowners, the World Cup represented an opportunity to generate extra income by renting out spare rooms, guest houses and entire homes to visiting soccer fans. But while the tournament is drawing visitors to the Bay Area, some local listings still had availability in the days leading up to matches, suggesting the payoff may be smaller than many hosts expected.
Contemporary Mexican restaurant Alisios opens at Menlo Park’s Springline development
Burma Food Group opened the first restaurant at Springline. On June 11, it debuted a new concept at the Menlo Park development, the final addition to a now full list of restaurant tenants.
Congrats to Sean R., who was the first reader to correctly identify where last week’s photo was taken (it’s Daly City’s Mussel Rock Trail!).
The first person to reply to this email with the correct place where the below photo was taken will win a gift card from The Six Fifty and a shoutout in our next newsletter!
Find more things to do in our June events guide and roundup of World Cup watch parties and festivities.
Menlo Park’s Juneteenth Celebration: June 19 Live music and dance, family activities, free treats and vendors will all be part of a Juneteenth celebration, commemorating the ending of slavery in the U.S., at the Belle Haven Community Campus.
Mickaboo Bird Adoption & Toymaking Faire: June 20 Meet adoptable birds from Mickaboo Companion Bird Rescue and make toys for them to play with at this event at the Museum of American Heritage.
Juneteenth: The Cookout: June 20 South San Francisco Library presents a celebration of the legacy of the Negro Leagues and the lasting impact of Black excellence in baseball. The family-friendly event includes live performances, hot dogs and baseball-themed crafts.
Moving with Pride: June 20 Yoga Health Center is hosting a donations-based cardio class for Pride Month at Out of the Barrel taproom in San Carlos. All donations from the class and 10% of all beverage sales during the event will be donated to the San Mateo County Pride Center.
Ube Festival Bay Area: June 20 Filipino food, music, culture and creativity are celebrated at this festival, held at the Cow Palace.
Stanford Jazz Festival: June 21-July 31 The 2026 edition of the summer jazz fest includes performances by the Branford Marsalis Quartet, Billy Childs, Luciana Souza, Anat Cohen, Stefon Harris, Yilian Cañizares and more.
Summer Solstice at Audrey’s Way: June 21 Mark the longest day of the year with a moderate, guided evening hike at Russian Ridge Preserve. Bring a picnic and watch the sunset at the Audrey’s Way lookout point.
Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame Ceremony: June 25 Several new honorees will be inducted into the Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame, plus a special tribute to Tom Martinez and the opening of the “Tom Martinez Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame” exhibit.
Ocean Film and Speaker Night: June 27 Local sustainability nonprofit Peninsula Precious Plastics hosts an evening of short film screenings, speakers and a raffle.
KFJC Record Swap: June 28 Find vinyl records, CDs, cassette tapes, posters, merch and more at the KFJC record swap at Foothill College.
Song Menu: June 28 This food-inspired arts retreat in Belmont, hosted by cook and storyteller VC Tang of Stir Fry Stories, will include tai chi, an East Asian breakfast and Thai lunch, music and solo journaling and creative time.
Apricot STEM Fair: June 28 The Los Altos History Museum hosts a day of apricot-themed and nature-inspired STEM activities, including DNA extractions from fruit and a talk by Robin Chapman, author of “California Apricots: The Lost Orchards of Silicon Valley.”
Plan Ahead:
BraveMaker Film Fest: July 8-12 BraveMaker’s annual festival of independent films returns for five days of screenings, Q&As and more.
Music@Menlo: July 17-Aug. 8 Boasting more than 60 in-person and online events, Music@Menlo’s annual chamber music festival includes mainstage concerts, artist-curated recitals, talks and master classes.
Book Bedazzling: July 21 Feeling like your books need a bit of extra sparkle? Something Made craft club hosts an evening of bedazzling books at Books Inc. Palo Alto. Bring a book or purchase one there at a discount.
Walking Tour of the Purissima Old Town Site: July 25 Take a docent-led tour of what was once the site of the Purissima Old Town settlement, hosted by Coastside Land Trust.
A Walk With Wine 2026: July 30 Stroll the streets of downtown Burlingame while sampling wines and listening to live music, with around 30 local merchants participating.
San Mateo author Scott Sollers is publishing bedtime stories dedicated to his daughter
He wrote children’s books for his daughter more than three decades ago. Now he’s sharing them with a new generation
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