Eats from Little Sister, The Kettle and Sesame Moe's Mediterranean Grill, a blender bike and plants from Deep Roots nursery helped set the stage for International Park(ing) Day in downtown Manhattan Beach Friday.

The annual global event encourages folks to enjoy open space, art and healthy eats. This was the second year the City of Manhattan Beach participated with assistance from the Beach Cities Health District and the Blue Zones Project.

"Park(ing) Day went really well, and all those who stopped by enjoyed the idea and the displays," said the city's Environmental Programs Manager Sona Kalapura Coffee. "Mayor (Wayne) Powell stopped by for a while and had a good time on the blender bike. The smoothies were great!"

The event, which lasted from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday (September 19), converted two parking spaces near Little Sister into a place to learn about health, eat and drink, and socialize.