The air is crisp … the leaves are changing color … the smell of cinnamon and nutmeg wafts through the air … Well, okay, not really, this is Venice Beach after all. We may be by the beach where the weather is warm and the palm trees stay green all year ‘round, but Abbot Kinney Blvd. knows how to do fall right. We’re gonna give you the scoop on all the festive autumn activities that Venice Beach offers so you won’t miss a thing. Let’s FALL into it, shall we? 😉
Venice Beach
Abbot Kinney Festival — September 29
To kick the fall festivities off, we have what is arguably the most exciting, most awesome, most fun event of the bunch: Abbot Kinney Festival! (And no… we’re not biased…) The 35th annual Abbot Kinney Festival will take place on Saturday, September 29, 2019, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Abbot Kinney Festival in Venice, California, spans world-famous Abbot Kinney Boulevard, dubbed the coolest block in America by GQ Magazine. The mile-long street’s eclectic boutiques and artisan eateries infuse the festival with local Venice flavor. Among the events and festivities you can partake in are:
- FREE festival admission!
- 350 awesome vendors
- Delicious gourmet food from top food trucks and booths
- Plenty of rides and games for adults and kids alike
- 4 music stages, including a KidsQuad stage for the younger folk
- 3 beer gardens (bring your ID so you can get a wristband to enter!)
Bringing the kiddos along? Don’t miss the Family Parade, which starts at 9:45 a.m. at California Avenue and continues down the length of Abbot Kinney Blvd. The parade will be marching to a fresh Samba-Reggae beat provided by bands Samba da Mudanca and Sandra Sandia. The parade concludes at the KidsQuad at Main St. where you will find:
- Bouncy slides
- Obstacle courses
- Bungee basketball
- Rock climbing
- Treasure hunts
- Merry-Go-Round
- Glitter tattoos and face painting
- T-shirt tie-dyeing
- Kindness Rock painting
- And tons more games and activities for the whole family!
This completely free-to-attend festival is on its 35th year, and still going strong! This is an event you can’t afford to miss. Check out this video of the 2017 festival for a small taste of all of the cool things you’ll see and do this year!
Wurstküche Venice Oktoberfest — October 5
Who doesn’t love a good Oktoberfest? Personally, we think Venice Beach does it best. This rip-roaring Oktoberfest will be hosted by Wurstküche, a modern bierhall nestled between Sunset Ct and Vernon Ave. Wurstküche is no ordinary sausage-slinging establishment: dip your toe into something more exotic and try one of their rattlesnake, rabbit, or vegan sausages with a side of crispy fries and any number of their wide variety of scrumptious dipping sauces. Belgian and German brews are sure to be flowing in abundance at this celebration.
Wurstküche encourages guests to “dust off their lederhosen” and “lace up your dirndls” for an evening-a-week for four weekends straight of inevitably raucous enjoyment. They say, “Taps will be flowing, girls will be yodeling, and the Munich Boom-Steiners will be performing each weekend!” Tickets also include a Wurstküche liter mug full of Oktoberfest brew. Check out this website for all your lederhosen needs to get you primed and ready for this month of Oktoberfest awesomeness.
In The Area
Fall Festival — October 12
This classic fall festival occurs yearly at The Original Farmers Market in L.A. as crowds gather to enjoy crafts, artisan demonstrations, live music, and more. This celebration of fall gives guests the quaint, eclectic, small-town experience within a populous, bustling city like Los Angeles, providing temporary respite from the urban chaos. This festival came to be a few months after the opening of Farmers Market in 1934 as a way to celebrate the fall harvest. Merchants would construct floats which they would parade through the market for the purpose of promoting their business.
Now, 83 years later, the Fall Festival is one of the longest-running events in Los Angeles. Just some of the things you can look forward to are:
- Petting zoo
- Pig races
- Pumpkin games on Gilmore Lane
- Pie-eating contest
- Beer garden
- A musical lineup featuring country, western, swing, bluegrass, and banjo tunes
Los Angeles Fall Fair — October 25 – November 3
Fall doesn’t end after Halloween! The Los Angeles Fall Fair keeps the festivities rolling all the way to November with the largest fall festival in Los Angeles County, with 12 acres of amusement rides, live music, games, arts and crafts, and an international food court. Admission is only $15 and includes unlimited access to all rides and games within the grounds. Rides include small to large roller coasters, a merry-go-round, Ferris wheel, and pretty much anything you can imagine an amusement park having. There will also be circus performances by Fabulous Five Performers! Don’t miss the biggest fall event in the area!
We love the fall season on Abbot Kinney Blvd. Start planning your itinerary and make sure to take advantage of the cool weather and plentiful festivities on the boulevard and the surrounding area. We can’t wait for the autumn activities to start!
