Coastal Cleanup Day to Hit Venice Beach

Thousands of Californians will hit Venice waterways Saturday to take part in the 26th annual California Coastal Cleanup Day.

"Venice is always one of our most heavily populated locations," said Matt King, spokesman for Heal the Bay, the group that organizes Los Angeles County's cleanup. "It's a fantastic community that has always supported Heal the Bay." 

The cleanup will center on three locations: the pier, Venice Beach at Rose Avenue and the end of Venice Boulevard. The event begins at 9 a.m. and goes until noon. 

Last year, more than 14,000 people in Los Angeles County gathered over 300,000
pounds of trash and recyclables at the one-day event, which coincides with International Coastal Cleanup, one of the largest annual volunteer efforts in the world.

"It's a wonderful kaleidoscope of L.A.—students, seniors, musicians, Little League teams," King said. "The whole cross-section of the community realizes the ocean is worth protecting and supporting."

For the fifth year in a row Jeff Freisen will serve as the designated beach captain at the Venice Pier. Freisen, who works as an environmental consultant, said that Coastal Cleanup Day provides a particular kind of satisfaction.

"It's really neat being part of something that's much, much larger," he said.

This year, in an effort to build the community aspect of the event, organizers have planned a food truck festival at Latitude 33 in Marina del Rey from noon to 4 p.m.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit Heal the Bay, as well as wildlife affected by the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in April.

LA Weekly food critic Jonathan Gold will be hosting a craft beer crawl through downtown Venice from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Admission is $49, and proceeds will support Heal the Bay. Gold, a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, is also the brother of Heal the Bay President Mark Gold.

For more information on the cleanup event visit Heal the Bay's website. Organizers recommend bringing water, sunscreen and a hat. No experience or special equipment is required.

"When you realize at the end of it all how much trash was picked up, it's a huge number," Freisen said. "You know that you actually contributed to something."