Anjelica Huston to Turn on the Venice Sign During Holiday Lighting Celebration

Anjelica Huston will flip the switch to light the Venice Sign for the holidays Friday night during the Second Venice Sign Holiday Lighting & Windward Crawl. The free event, hosted by the City of Los Angeles and the Venice Chamber of Commerce, begins at 6 p.m. 

Huston, longtime Venice resident and Academy Award-winning actress, is part of festivities that will include performances by local music groups and an appearance by Old St. Nick, according to Los Angeles City Council member Mike Bonin.

"Venice is such a vibrant community full of wonderful people, I thought it was a real shame that Venice never really had any official community gathering to celebrate the start of the holidays," said L.A.restaurateur Daniel Samakow, who came up with the idea for the now annual event last year. "The Venice Sign lighting is our version of a tree lighting."

The historic Venice Sign, first erected more than 100 years ago by Abbot Kinney, is transformed into a holiday spectacle of red-and-green lights during the event.

"Venice is a wonderful, creative and distinct community, and I am excited to join neighbors as we celebrate the holidays in our own wonderful, creative and distinct way," said Bonin."The sign lighting is a terrific event, and I am looking forward to being a part of the ceremony."

Attendees are encouraged to bring new, unwrapped children's toys to benefit "The Muscle Beach Toy Drive," a Venice tradition sponsored by the Los Angeles Police Department's Pacific Division.

• Related: Event Schedule for Venice Sign Holiday Lighting