11th Annual Holiday Lighting of the Venice Sign. – Venice Paparazzi | Venice Beach CA, Photo Agency, Community Info, News, Events

The Venice Chamber of Commerce Announces Fat Sal’s as Presenting Sponsor of the 11th Annual Venice Holiday Sign Lighting

A Fresh Face For This Celebrated Tradition in the Heart of Venice

Venice, CA – November 11, 2022 – The Venice Chamber of Commerce, Fat Sal’s and the business community welcome all to the 11th Annual Venice Holiday Sign Lighting on Saturday, December 3rd, under the Venice Sign at the intersection of Windward Avenue and Pacific Avenue in Venice.

Those who prefer to participate virtually are invited to watch the event as it is streamed live on the Venice Chamber Facebook page at www.facebook.com/venicechamber. The festivities begin at 6:15 p.m. and at 8:00 p.m., the special surprise guest will pull the switch lighting the Venice Sign green and red.

A new addition to the Venice community, Fat Sal’s has made a home on Washington Square at 37 Washington Blvd. Fat Sal’s has been serving LA for over 12 years and has an indelible bond with the city. Said owner Sal Capek of their humble beginnings, “ It all started off in Westwood with the UCLA student body and faculty. They were our customer base. We loved them, and they soon fell in love with us. Since then, word of our creative combinations spread throughout Los Angeles like wildfire. Each restaurant has its own core group of diehard regulars.” While famous for their over-the-top creations, Capek provides that “ Each neighborhood has its own distinct character.” And they provide vegan and vegetarian options no doubt reflect the beachside health conscious aspect of the Venice location. “When we had the opportunity to open a new location, the iconic Venice Beach was our first choice! We are thrilled to be part of the community!”

During the event, the City of Los Angeles will close Windward Avenue east of Pacific Avenue for on-stage entertainment and exhibits. Onstage musical entertainment from a variety of artists will be supplemented by ceremonies honoring local heroes, culminating with the lighting of the Venice Sign by a Special Guest Venetian! There will be a limited number of tables available to those who participate in the event as a sponsor, and tables will be available for purchase by businesses and nonprofit organizations looking to introduce themselves, their services or products to the Venice community. Those interested can call 310-822-5425 or email [email protected]

The Chamber is also proud that the event offers a forum for city services and municipal organizations to engage with stakeholders and provide valuable information on services and programs.

And for the eighth year, the Venice Chamber of Commerce and the Venice Art Crawl bring together all local public school children in the “My Venice” Holiday Poster Contest to illustrate what the holiday season means to them. A winner is chosen from each grade level and will receive a $100 gift card and other assorted holiday presents while also having their art on display at the Sign Lighting. “The Venice Art Crawl’s ‘My Venice’ Holiday Poster Contest inspires children in the community to create more art and they become the artists of the future,” said Sunny Bak, Venice Art Crawl President.

We look forward to seeing everyone there to celebrate the season of joy and giving amongst friends and family!

The Venice Sign, a federally registered trademark of the Venice Chamber of Commerce and Venice’s most iconic symbol, and attracts thousands of tourists to Venice. In 2007, the Venice Sign Restoration Project recreated and installed the contemporary version of this historic sign. Since that time, the Venice Chamber has been responsible for maintaining the sign and for protecting its trademark. Today this lasting legacy is restored across Windward Avenue as a tribute to the celebrated Venice of years past and a modern-day gateway to the world-famous Venice Beach. Continuing year-round, the Venice Chamber of Commerce, through programs and events, raises funds to support the maintenance of the Venice Sign. Those interested in donating can go to www.venicesign.org.

The Venice Chamber of Commerce is an organization of business leaders who actively serve as advocates for our expanding professional community. Through dynamic networking events and diverse committees, we support the interests of area businesses and contribute to improving the vitality of the local economy. To learn more about the Venice Chamber, visit www.venicechamber.net.

Venice Paparazzi Fun Fact!

Venice Paparazzi has covered Venice Sign events since the inaugural event of the lighting of the restored Venice Sign in 2007. If you were at a Venice Sign event, we may have taken a photo of you. Re-live the best of 2007-2021 Venice Sign photos by Venice Paparazzi.