6th Annual Venice Community Barbecue and Picnic on Aug. 4

The sixth annual Venice community picnic and barbecue will be held on Sun. Aug. 4 at Oakwood Park.

The Venice Neighborhood Council is sponsoring the barbecue, which will feature music, games and food. Event organizers will provide the meats (chicken, pork, hot dogs and veggie dogs) and the public has been asked to bring side dishes and desserts. People who contribute to the potluck will be eligible for a drawing of prizes donated by local businesses.

Firefighters from Station #63 in Venice will be working the grill.

"Come and bring a dish and meet someone you haven't met before," barbecue committee chair Mindy Meyer told the public July 17 at the Venice Neighborhood Council meeting.

The summer picnic and community gathering became an annual event following the 2006 shooting death of Augustin Contreras, 17, who was killed by a gang member at Venice High School as he tried to protect his younger brother.

The community gathered after the slaying and in an attempt to create some healing residents decided they wanted an "old-fashioned social," Meyer said.

"They wanted to come together and break bread with their neighbors and look across and see each other's common family," she said.

The picnic and barbecue will be held Sunday, Aug. 4, from noon to 4 p.m. at Oakwood Park, 767 California Ave.

Anyone interested in volunteering should email VeniceBBQ@venicenc.org.