Cirque du Soleil to Perform for Santa Monica Pier's 100th Year

This year marks the centennial of the Santa Monica Pier. The pier, which will observe its 100th birthday on September 9, will host a yearlong series of events and festivites to mark the milestone. Included among them, the Cirque du Soleil production Kooza will run in Santa Monica from October to December, with dates and times to be announced soon, the city's convention and visitors bureau announced on Wednesday. (Santa Monica was the troupe's first United States tour destination more than 20 years ago.) A host of local hotels and restaurants in Santa Monica are expected to offer special packages and promotions tied to the show.