Just a couple of doors down from Santa Maria’s new library sits the 510 Event Center, named after its address of 510 South Broadway. The location has played host to many a restaurant and bar since it was built in the 1940s, and the current owners have breathed new life into the building with a remodeling, rebranding, and revitalization with live entertainment.
Jointly owned by Marty and Marye Mariscal, John and Ernestina Everett, and Peter Lopez, the 510 Event Center aims at providing a quality restaurant to Santa Maria by day, and being a classy entertainment venue by night. The facility is also open for rent for private parties and events.
“We actually found out we confused a lot of people in the beginning by calling it an event center because no one really knows what an event center is,” said managing partner and former city councilman Marty Mariscal. “We wanted a restaurant that serves lunch and dinner all day, but then flips at night and becomes a live music venue.”
The lunch and dinner menus offer a variety of food with American, Mexican, and Asian influences. The Baja fish tacos are very popular, Mariscal said, whether for lunch or dinner. Lunch starts at 11 a.m. when the restaurant opens, and dinner stops being served between 8:30 and 9 p.m. in order for the entertainment to take over.
Equipped with a stage, professional sound system, lighting, and large dance floor, the 510 is ready to handle a party of any size. While Mariscal admits it hasn’t been easy packing the house every night, the location has enjoyed a lot of steady business with its entertainment lineup.
Wednesday nights are the blues jam nights from 7 to 10 p.m. The jams are led by Juan Marquez and Sangria, who allow accomplished musicians to join them on stage and jam. Friday nights belong solely to Marquez and Sangria. Marquez is a seasoned singer and guitarist who has a command of R&B, Latin, soul, blues, and rock. Sangria includes several of his local musician friends, including percussionists and a horn player.
Saturdays are booked for “Latin Night” throughout the harvest season, and they mark the event center’s busiest nights, according to Mariscal, who said several hundred people will come in and enjoy the music throughout the night. “Latin Night” features mostly norteño and banda music, very popular Mexican dance styles.
DJ Orlando is currently in charge of the dance party on Thursday nights. A dress code is enforced, Mariscal explained, as with any high-end nightclub. Things to avoid would be T-shirts, sandals, shorts, and baseball caps.
The 510 isn’t just limited to music, of course. The “510 Summer Comedy Series,” which began the second week of July, features touring professional comedians appearing every second and fourth Thursday in July, August, and September. It’s been quite a long time since Santa Maria saw a standup comedy series such as this.
“I think Santa Maria is ready for comedy again because it has been here before, but it’s been 10 years or more,” Mariscal said. “Comedy is a good thing because it brings different age groups together.”
The comedians are touring professionals from out of town, but Mariscal is putting the call out to any local jokesters with five minutes of material to try their stuff at an open mic on July 28 from 2 to 5 p.m. for a chance to be the MC for an upcoming comedy show in the series.
Mariscal also hopes to expand Saturdays down the line to include a regular open mic for musicians and bands of all ages.
“This place is privately owned, but I actually view it as a community asset because the location is available to rent for your own private party or wedding reception or quinceañera,” he said. “I also think that if you provide entertainment for people here in Santa Maria, they don’t have to drive 45 minutes to an hour, and they can keep their money local, they can be entertained local, and feel good about living in Santa Maria.”
The 510 Event Center can be found online at 510eventcenter.com and facebook.com/510eventcenter. The website includes a menu, as well as an entertainment calendar and other information.
R&B ambassadors
The Chumash Casino Resort presents funk and soul all-stars the Commodores in concert Aug. 2 at 8 p.m., Chumash Casino Resort, 3400 East Highway 246, Santa Ynez. More info: 1-800-CHUMASH.
Giving twang
The Maverick Saloon offers live entertainment, including the classic rock and country music of the Jimi Nelson Band on July 27 at 8:45 p.m., followed by “Late Night with guest DJs” at 11:30 p.m. “Concert on the Deck” featuring Jimi Nelson is July 28 at 3 p.m. The Jimi Nelson Band performs July 28 at 8:45 p.m., followed by “Late Night with guest DJs.” Jason Heath and the Greedy Souls presents “A Great Country Concert” on Aug. 1 at 8 p.m. at the saloon, 3687 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez. More info: 686-4785 or mavericksyv@aol.com. m
Contact Calendar Editor Joe Payne at jpayne@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jul 26 – Aug 2, 2012.
