The Midnight Stomp Series

We were exploring Los Altos that afternoon—Joan, my brother Austin, my niece Akemi, and I—navigating through shady streets, and corners of unexpected charm.
The heat eventually got the best of them, so they waited in the car while I followed my curiosity, tucked near the parking garage at the corner of First Street and Plaza North. The sound of distant music, oddly fitting, drifted into the warm air.

The Midnight Stomp Series is a whimsical trio of bronze bird sculptures by artist Pokey Park, installed in 2015 through Los Altos’s Art Without Walls public arts program. The pieces—Electric Slide, Midnight Serenade Pose 2, and Twist & Shout—capture birds in joyful, exaggerated mid-dance, as if caught throwing their own moonlit jazz party when no one’s watching. The artist imagined it as a “private moment just for the birds,” and that’s exactly how it feels: playful, alive, and almost theatrical.
The experience is made even more surreal by the quiet music drifting from the nearby parking garage, which gives the impression that the birds are actually moving to the rhythm. The scene, though still, feels kinetic, as if you’ve stumbled onto a secret performance just for you. It’s the kind of art that makes the city feel more vibrant, blending nature, rhythm, and humor in the middle of a culturally rich downtown—unexpected gems hiding in plain sight, waiting to surprise anyone willing to explore a little deeper.

“Los Altos Without Walls” is a public art program that transforms downtown Los Altos into an open-air gallery, placing temporary sculptures and installations in parks, streets, and civic spaces. Organized by the Public Arts Commission, it brings art into everyday life with care and consideration, showcasing works by artists from around the country and sharing their stories through plaques. It invites the community to explore the city in a more creative and reflective way.

#losaltos #santaclara #california