Venice Fest returned to Los Angeles on June 20, 2026, bringing another memorable day of shopping, live entertainment, local food, wellness experiences, and community engagement to Venice Boulevard in Mar Vista. Produced by Venice Blvd Productions, the free annual festival transformed four blocks into a vibrant destination where thousands of attendees spent the afternoon supporting small businesses, discovering local artists, enjoying live music, and connecting with brands from across Southern California.
While Los Angeles has no shortage of summer events, Venice Fest has carved out its own identity by focusing on the people, businesses, and organizations that make the Westside such a unique place to live, work, and visit.
Instead of building the festival around one headline attraction, Venice Fest creates an experience where every block offers something new. Independent makers, clothing brands, artists, food vendors, beverage companies, wellness organizations, and neighborhood businesses all come together to create an event that feels authentic to the Venice and Mar Vista communities. That balance is what continues to make Venice Fest one of the most enjoyable neighborhood festivals in Los Angeles.
Shopping Local Businesses and Independent Makers
One of the biggest highlights of Venice Fest 2026 was the incredible variety of local vendors. Hundreds of businesses lined Venice Boulevard with booths featuring handcrafted jewelry, locally designed apparel, artwork, candles, skincare products, ceramics, accessories, home décor, vintage-inspired goods, and gifts. Rather than feeling repetitive, every section of the festival introduced another creative business with its own personality and story.
We spent several hours walking the full length of the festival and found ourselves stopping constantly to browse the different vendors. The jewelry booths were among our favorite stops, showcasing everything from minimalist everyday pieces to handcrafted statement designs made by local artisans. Many of the vendors took time to explain their work, making the shopping experience feel much more personal than browsing products online or walking through a traditional retail store.
That direct connection between shoppers and creators is one of Venice Fest’s greatest strengths. Supporting small businesses has always been at the heart of the event, and it was easy to see why so many attendees took their time exploring every block rather than rushing through the festival.
Great Food and Beverage Brands Kept Everyone Exploring
A great festival needs great food, and Venice Fest once again delivered with a wide variety of food vendors and trucks serving everything from comfort food and street food favorites to desserts and refreshing drinks.
We grabbed barbecue while making our way through the event, and it quickly became one of the highlights of the afternoon. It was the perfect meal before continuing our walk through the vendor marketplace, where every block seemed to introduce another food option worth checking out.
Beverage sampling was another major attraction throughout the festival. Athletic Brewing Company remained one of the busiest booths, introducing visitors to its lineup of award-winning non-alcoholic craft beers. As more consumers look for alcohol-free alternatives, Athletic Brewing continues to establish itself as one of the leaders in the category, and its presence at Venice Fest reflected that growing demand.
Other featured beverage partners included Sparkling Ice, Vitaminwater, Smartwater, Topo Chico Sabores, Mineragua, Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Company, Roséade Wine Spritzer, Salt Point Cocktails, Sailor Jerry, Milagro Tequila, Famosa Beer, and Tap Truck Beach Cities. Complimentary samples encouraged visitors to discover new products while giving brands an opportunity to connect directly with consumers in a relaxed outdoor setting.
Live Music, Wellness, and Family Activities
Music remained a constant presence throughout the afternoon, creating an energetic atmosphere without overpowering the rest of the festival. DJs and performers provided a soundtrack as visitors shopped, ate, and explored Venice Boulevard, helping create an event that felt lively while still maintaining its neighborhood character.
Venice Fest also continued expanding its wellness programming. Community yoga sessions hosted by Light on Lotus and activations from Spiritual Gangster highlighted the active lifestyle that has become synonymous with the Westside. Guests looking for an upgraded experience could spend time inside the VIP Garden, which featured shaded seating, beverage tastings, lawn games, and additional entertainment throughout the day.
Families were equally well represented throughout the event. The dedicated Kids & Family Zone, pet-friendly atmosphere, and open layout made Venice Fest accessible for visitors of all ages. Parents pushed strollers through the marketplace, dogs accompanied their owners from booth to booth, and groups of friends gathered throughout the festival to enjoy the music, food, and community atmosphere.
World Cup Excitement Added Another Layer
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup taking place across North America, Venice Fest found creative ways to connect with one of the biggest sporting events in the world. Several neighborhood restaurants and participating businesses hosted match-viewing experiences throughout the day, allowing visitors to keep up with tournament action while enjoying the festival.
Businesses including Fatty Mart, Taverna at The Mar Vista, Lucky Strike, The Field Bar & Grill, Quiadaiyn Restaurant, and Rasselbock Kitchen & Beer Garden joined in the celebration, helping bring additional energy to an already exciting day. The combination of neighborhood businesses and international soccer created a unique atmosphere that reflected Los Angeles’ diverse culture.
Venice Fest Continues to Stand Out
Community festivals remain an important part of Los Angeles because they give independent businesses, artists, musicians, and entrepreneurs an opportunity to connect directly with the public. Venice Fest continues to embrace that mission while creating an event that feels welcoming, inclusive, and genuinely connected to the neighborhood around it.
We had a great time enjoying barbecue, checking out the jewelry vendors, sampling beverages from several participating brands, and walking the full length of the festival from end to end. Every block offered another reason to stop, whether it was discovering a local clothing company, finding handcrafted artwork, listening to live music, or meeting the people behind an independent business.
Rather than trying to become the biggest festival in Southern California, Venice Fest continues to succeed by staying true to its community roots. The combination of local shopping, quality food, nationally recognized beverage partners, live entertainment, wellness programming, and neighborhood collaboration creates an experience that feels distinctly Los Angeles. For anyone looking to experience one of the best summer festivals on the Westside, Venice Fest 2026 once again proved why it has become a tradition worth returning to year after year.
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