Culver City Council Members Imprisoned in Fiesta La Ballona ‘Pokey’ Tonight

As part of the lead up to Fiesta La Ballona, which runs from Aug. 24 – 26, the Culver City Council will present the Fiesta La Ballona Committee with the official Fiesta proclamation at City Hall tonight, ahead of its council meeting.

However, before they can do so, Mayor Andy Weissman and the entire council will have to be released from the ‘pokey’ – the official Fiesta jail on wheels. They’ll be locked up in City Hall chambers at 6:45 p.m.

According to a Fiesta press release, the prison on wheels was a regular staple during the early years of the Fiesta – in the 1950s – when service clubs and City officials towed the pokey around Culver City picking up and "jailing" individuals not dressed in La Ballona Days attire during the week of Fiesta.

However, the vintage pen has lain dormant since the 1980s and will be revived for the first time in 25 years for this year’s 62nd annual Fiesta La Ballona.

The revival of the pokey has been made possible thanks to donations by Jeff Gillette of Culver Motor Clinic, Patty and Tony Bravo of Culver City Boy Scouts. The newly refurbished pokey has new tires, paint and lights.

“I'm glad it's back. The kids love it,” said Culver City historian Julie Lugo Cerra.

"The pokey and all of the vintage Culver City vehicles together at Fiesta La Ballona is a treat for the community," said Gillette. "We are happy to help."

"We had such a good time at the painting party, bringing the Pokey back to life again," said Bravo, whose Scouts conduct Scoutarama at Fiesta La Ballona, on Sun. Aug. 26 from 12-4 p.m.

The scout painters are Steve and Neal Steiner, Patti and Aaron Bravo, Avishai and Vered Melamed, Matthew and Rodney Rummelsberg, Mike and Evelyn Rodriguez, Lucas Bross, Jonathan and Michal Amit, Jack Sheehy, Julie Wright, Chandler, Duncan and Gene Bark, Jenoah and Channce Nelson and Elijah Salazar.

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