July 25, 2025 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

Holiday Festivities

By Sam Skopp

 

For the first time ever, the Pico Improvement Organization, Buy Local Santa Monica, Virginia Avenue Park and Santa Monica’s Farmers Markets co-hosted a festive Trio Holiday Celebration Saturday, Dec. 9, celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. The event was located in the area of the park just adjacent to the simultaneous farmers market, allowing access to the adjacent outdoor stage as well as integration with the farmers market.

The event included a full day’s worth of activities, including a performance by the Santa Monica Youth Orchestra, scenes from “A Winter’s Tale” by the Morgan Wixson Theater, Christmas Carolers from Santa Monica High, door prize drawings, a performance by a dance group, and even a visit from the Santa Monica Police and Fire Departments’ annual Holiday Candy Cane Drive. Kids could also get their pictures taken with Santa Claus just outside the Pico Library.

“Doing it here, we wanted to overlap with the farmers market and keep people here, while also bringing people to the market,” said Event Coordinator Donna Gentry.

While this event was the first of its kind, last year, the Venice Family Clinic hosted a smaller Christmas celebration, to which this was a bigger and more comprehensive spiritual successor.

“This is the first time we’ve celebrated all three holidays,” said Gentry.

The day’s schedule was kicked off by a greeting from Santa Monica mayor Ted Winterer, who left the stage to hand out candy canes to children in the audience. Story time at the library that day included books inspired by all three holidays celebrated at the event, as well as a book titled “Too Many Tamales,” about a Mexican-American Christmas dinner.

Immediately after the Holiday Celebration, the Pico Improvement Organization hosted a Pico Boulevard Holiday Walk, with free parking at the Venice Family Clinic, and shuttles taking participants down Pico Boulevard to local businesses holding sidewalk sales and special activities as part of the day’s event.

For more information about the Pico Improvement Organization, visit picopassport.com.

Related Posts

In Your Time of Need, Woodlawn Cemetery is Available

July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025

By Susan Payne  For over 125 years, Woodlawn Cemetery, Mausoleum & Mortuary, wholly owned and operated by the city of...

Going for the throat

July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025

Coach Bill Schuman expects protégé Golda Zahra to hold back nothing  By Linda Chase World famous competitors hire special coaches...

Suspect Arrested in Fatal Brentwood Whole Foods Stabbing, Area to See Increased Police Presence

July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025

The suspect, initially described as a man in his early 20s wearing dark clothing, fled the scene on foot.  A...

(Video) Seniors Age with Dignity at Wise & Healthy Aging’s Adult Day Center

July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025

For More Information, Go To Wiseandhealthyaging.org/ Seniors Age with Dignity at Wise & Healthy Aging’s Adult Day Center. For More...

California Reports 13% Drop in Vehicle Thefts in 2024, First Decline Since 2019

July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025

Southern California accounted for 53.21% of thefts, with Los Angeles County alone representing 61.83% of the region’s total California reported...

LAPD Pacific Boosters’ West LA Summer Carnival Takes Place This Weekend

July 24, 2025

July 24, 2025

The carnival will feature amusement rides for all ages, arcade-style games, and traditional fair food The LAPD Pacific Area Boosters...

Venice Ale House is Now the European-Inspired ‘Venice Beach Club’

July 24, 2025

July 24, 2025

The menu features items like steak frites, crudo, and house-made pizzas, under the direction of Executive Chef James Samuel A...

Metro D Line to Resume Service, Paving Way for Future Westwood and West LA Connection

July 24, 2025

July 24, 2025

The work is part of Metro’s “Twenty-Eight by ’28” initiative—a slate of infrastructure projects aimed at improving transportation ahead of...

More than 80 West LA Restaurants will Showcase Cuisine and Flavor in DineLA 2025

July 23, 2025

July 23, 2025

The Westside features restaurants offering prix-fixe lunch and dinner menus ranging from $15 to $65 From the sandy shores of...

CineMalibu Returns with Free Outdoor Movie Nights at Malibu Bluffs Park

July 23, 2025

July 23, 2025

Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets and low-back chairs, with seating available on a first-come, first-served basis CineMalibu, a beloved...

County Sheriff Oversight Elects New Leadership Team

July 23, 2025

July 23, 2025

Established in 2016, the commission aims to enhance LASD transparency and public trust through policy analysis and community engagement The...

Amid Federal Funding Cuts, County Seeks Input on Public Health Priorities

July 23, 2025

July 23, 2025

DPH is urging residents to share how public health efforts affect their communities and identify key areas for future focus...

CicLAvia to Open 6.75 Miles of Car-Free Streets from Culver City to Venice

July 22, 2025

July 22, 2025

The event features four hubs: Arts District on Washington Blvd., Downtown Culver City near the Culver Hotel, Mar Vista on...

(Video) Where great minds grow at The Willows Community School

July 22, 2025

July 22, 2025

The Willows, a DK-8 co-educational school, enrolls 474 students from 57+ zip codes annually. As a balanced, progressive educational leader, experiential learning,...

Mayor Bass, Veterans Demand Troop Withdrawal as Marines Exit City

July 22, 2025

July 22, 2025

Bass, alongside California State Senator and Marine Corps veteran Caroline Menjivar, condemned the deployment as “unnecessary, unprecedented, and unconstitutional.” Los...