"Vibes After 5" series encourages mid-week unwinding with community

The public is invited to the third and final "Vibes After 5" of 2026 at the Town Plaza in Downtown Culver City from 5 to 8 p.m. today. DJ Francesca Harding from KCRW will provide a great soundtrack for attendees to dance to. Curious Elixirs, a brand specializing in non-alcoholic craft cocktails, will be there to provide free beverages along with the non-alcoholic bottle shop Burden of Proof. Other offerings include lawn games and activities.​

Previous iterations of Vibes After 5 were held at other busy locations in Culver City to extend the event’s reach to employees ending their workday in different parts of the city. The March 25 event at Helms Design District was chosen for its proximity to Apple and other design firms, while the April 22 Vibes After 5 was held at Culver Pointe, right at the base of TikTok’s headquarters in Fox Hills.​

This is only the second year that the Office of Economic and Cultural Development, a city department dedicated to boosting Culver City's economic and cultural growth, has organized this event. According to Special Events Manager Edgar Varela, the city has already received encouraging feedback about the series.

​“We’re seeing some chatter on social media and feedback in person for people who went to last year’s event,” Varela commented. “[They say,] ‘I came last time, I had such a great time that I told my coworkers and now they’re here.’”

​Inspiring this positive outlook on the businesses and restaurants that Culver City has to offer serves to push what Varela calls a paradigm shift — a transformation of the city not just as a place to work, but as a place to enjoy connecting with others and fostering community after work.​

Organizing these events during the workweek was a strategic way to encourage this shift while reaching out to as many workers as possible. Since many people work from home on Mondays while restaurants are often overflowing with people ready for the weekend on Fridays, the potential days to hold Vibes After 5 were limited to Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.​

Last year’s events were held on Thursday, but the Office of Economic and Cultural Development decided to hold them on Wednesdays this year. By choosing the middle of the week, Varela says, workers can take a moment to breathe and leave Culver City after having a better evening.

​While supporting Culver City businesses helps to bolster the city’s community and economy, hosting events like Vibes After 5 has the added benefit of previewing what spending extra time in the area does to the usual frustrations of sitting in traffic.​

“When the event is over, and I drive home, it’s a short drive,” Varela observed. “You’re already in a better mood when you leave as opposed to trying to leave at 5 p.m. when you’re right in the thick of all the traffic.”​

Likewise, using alternative modes of transportation — such as public transit and biking — is encouraged when attending these events. Bike parking and directions for using the Culver City Bus are often included in the official city page promoting events.

​Even so, the city staff is always looking to continue improving, and these events are a great place to provide more feedback and enjoy what the city has to offer.​

“I think [Culver City is] one of the few cities that you’re constantly meeting project managers, planners, people in different departments,” Varela said. “All these types of events give you a bit of access and make the world feel a little bit smaller because you’re building community.”

​To learn more about Vibes After 5 on May 13, visit Culver City’s official page here.