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A Whale of a Tale in Venice!

Thar She Blows!

Experience the adventure on the beach!

November 23-24, 2019, 9am-9pm

It’s time again to join Captain Ahab and the crew of the Pequod on their voyage to hunt the White Whale. Witness the obsessive drive to conquer “the ungraspable phantom of life.”

The Venice Oceanarium has been setting up camp on the beach since 1995 for its weekend-long, marathon reading of Herman Melvilles’s Moby Dick. Students, literati, celebrities and beach bums alike take turns reading passages from the novel. 

It’s an awesome, highly anticipated Venice tradition. Always at the end of November to acknowledge the start of the California Gray Whale migration. It’s FREE and family friendly! Drop by for a few chapters or stay a while. Details here. 

“The experience is transformative.” says Venice Oceanarium founder, Tim Rudnick. “Retelling this amazing tale on the sand, with waves crashing nearby and the salty sea breezes, is multisensory performance art.”  Rudnick continues “ This is our 24th year celebrating Melville’s classic. It’s exciting… insightful… meditative and infectious.” 

  • WHO? Everyone!. Bring your friends and/or make new ones. School groups are encouraged. Email to schedule a time for you or your group to read. 
  • WHAT? Interactive literary reading on Venice Beach! Drop in, read, listen, hang out.
  • WHEN? Saturday, November 23rd & Sunday November 24th, 9:00 am – 9:00 pm 
  • WHERE? On Venice Beach at the lifeguard station near the breakwater off the end of Windward. 
  • WHY? Read an amazing book. Learn about gray whales. Spend time on Venice Beach! Bundle up and share a cup of hot clam chowder at sunset with new and old friends! And everyone who reads gets a free button!

Photo courtesy of Venice Oceanarium

Venice Oceanarium, A Museum Without Walls, is a grassroots non-profit, which encourages kids (of all ages) to appreciate the environment and become stewards of our precious oceans. Their kids programs foster an appreciation of the wonders of the sea through an integrative approach by blending art, literature, poetry, music and science. They also present the extremely popular, annual Grunion Party! 

Photo courtesy of Venice Oceanarium

Photo courtesy of Venice Oceanarium

Photo courtesy of Venice Oceanarium

For 10 years the Venice Oceanarium’s hosted its weekly pop-up marine biology lab at the end of the historic Venice fishing pier. Their goal is to build a permanent Venice Oceanarium Pavilion attraction incorporated sea life, history, art and culture. They’ve garnered enthusiastic support from visitors, LA City officials and the Venice community.

Photo courtesy of Venice Oceanarium

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