A hot night draws a cool crowd at the Malibu Inn

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Aerialist Viktoria Grimmy entertains guests. See more photos on the Photo Page. Photo by Janet Laird

The Malibu landmark rings in a new era with a pre-Fourth of July blast.

By Kim Devore / The Malibu Times

The Malibu Inn was hopping with hipsters from Hollywood to Zuma last Thursday night. The iconic establishment celebrated its grand reopening with great fanfare, complete with paparazzi, performance artists and top-name talent.

Owners Alex and Steven Hakim sent out sleek invites for an evening to remember featuring a special performance by hunky music man Gavin Rossdale and a posse of pals.

After a few snaps on the red carpet, the glitterati were greeted with sweet rum “painkillers,” ice cold Coronas and sparkling flutes of champagne. Painted ladies, wearing mostly paint, added to the festive atmosphere along with a hip-swinging hula dancer sporting a ruby red grass skirt and a coconut shell bra.

Television producer Adrian Maher arrived with his colorful entourage in tow and marveled, “Wow! Usually you have to go east of the 405 for this kind of crowd.”

Servers made the rounds with tasty bites including oversized sliders, wild mushroom quesadillas and spicy, Ahi tuna tartare cups.

The patio was packed with partygoers wearing everything from vintage Tiki blazers to sequined minis, ‘60s Hawaiian shirts to breezy, white linen suits. Many posed for pics inside a Woodstock-era VW beetle, snapped away on their cell phones and tweeted their play-by-play so friends wouldn’t miss one exciting minute.

At one point, a Cirque du Soleil-style trapeze artist twirled from the ceiling in a dazzling body suit, wowing the crowd.

It was an enthusiastic celebration of Malibu’s historic past, present and future.

When Gavin Rossdale took the stage, the stylish shindig kicked into high gear. The band played on, the guests rocked out and they partied into the night.