Licis, also the 2022 “Arnold Strongman Classic” champion, will undertake the feat to showcase his strength
Strongman Martins Licis, the 2019 “World’s Strongest Man” winner, will attempt to pull a 34,680-pound battery electric Big Blue Bus 30 feet at the Santa Monica Pier on Thursday morning to kick off the “Pier 360” Beach Festival.
Licis, also the 2022 “Arnold Strongman Classic” champion, will undertake the feat to showcase his strength and promote sustainable transportation. The bus, a 35-foot-long vehicle from Santa Monica’s zero-emission Big Blue Bus fleet, will have a driver onboard during the pull. The event is scheduled for 8 a.m. on June 26, 2025, at the pier’s Beach Parking Lot 1 North.
Before the pull, Santa Monica Mayor Lana Negrete, Jim Harris, Executive Director and Historian of the Santa Monica Pier, and other officials will deliver remarks. The bus pull serves as a prelude to the “Pier 360” Beach Festival, a two-day celebration of Southern California beach culture set for June 28-29, 2025, along the Santa Monica shoreline.
The festival, free and open to all ages, will feature a strongman contest with over 80 athletes, ocean sports, beachside games, skateboarding, roller skating, live music, food, drinks, and exhibits on paddleboard racing history. Events begin at 9 a.m. each day.
Attendees are encouraged to use sustainable transportation, such as the Big Blue Bus, which offers rides for $1.10, to reach the festival. More information is available at bigbluebus.com.
