Venice's December Moves Between the Venice Sign and the Canals

On Saturday, December 5, the Venice Sign over Windward Avenue switches to red and green at an evening street party. Seven days later the same corner turns into a finish line before sunrise, with runners coming up Pacific Avenue toward a stage in Windward Plaza. The intersection is the same, and so is the Saturday. But the second event closes the streets south of Rose Avenue hours before most people are up.

That is the shape of Venice's holiday month this year. Two Saturdays happen at Pacific and Windward, and two Sundays happen along the canals. Each of the four dates is free to watch, and each is run by a local organization. They are listed in order at the bottom of this post. The run is the only one that needs any planning if you live west of Pacific or along Dell Avenue.

The Sign lighting on December 5

The Venice Chamber of Commerce holds its 15th Annual Venice Holiday Sign Lighting on Saturday, December 5, from 6 to 9 p.m. It takes place on Windward Avenue east of Pacific Avenue, at 100 Windward Avenue. The street is closed to make room for live music and family activities, and admission is free. The Chamber asks people to register in advance.

The sign itself is younger than it looks. The Chamber describes it as a replica of the sign Abbot Kinney first installed in 1905. The Venice Sign Restoration Project rebuilt and reinstalled it in 2007, and the Chamber has maintained it and held its federally registered trademark ever since. So the holiday lighting is a 15-year tradition attached to a symbol that goes back more than a century.

The evening also ends a contest. The Venice Art Crawl, a committee hosted by the Chamber, will announce the winners of its "My Venice Holiday Poster Contest" at the Sign Lighting. If you know someone who entered, the reveal happens under the sign.

December 12 affects more of the blocks west of Pacific

The Santa Monica-Venice Christmas Run returns on Saturday, December 12, 2026. The 5K starts at 7 a.m. and the 10K at 8 a.m. Both begin at Ocean View Park on Barnard Way in Santa Monica and finish at Pacific Avenue and Windward Avenue.

The finish line is a short walk from the sign, so the run spends its last stretch on Venice streets. The organizer has published controlled vehicle crossings for residents and businesses between Pacific Avenue and Ocean Front Walk, from Marine Court to South Venice Boulevard. All three crossings give access over Pacific Avenue to Speedway.

The organizer also says that all vehicle traffic south of Brooks Avenue must go south on Speedway and leave near South Venice Boulevard. Look at the Rose Avenue windows. They include two short gaps, at 6:50 and 7:50 a.m. If you need to drive out that morning, a crossing at 7:30 is a different plan from one at 7:55.

Canal residents get their own instructions. Dell Avenue is closed at South Venice Boulevard from 5 to 10:30 a.m. Vehicles north of Court A go north on Dell Avenue, turn right at Court E and then right at Eastern Court to get out. Anyone driving back into the canals can enter from south of 28th Avenue. The organizer says it updates the race page regularly, so check it again the week of the run before relying on these times.

There is also reason to walk over. The post-race party is in Windward Plaza, with a live DJ, vendor booths, holiday photos and snacks. Overall awards are presented on the plaza stage at 7:45 a.m. for the 5K and 9:15 a.m. for the 10K. The top three men and women at each distance get $100 for first place and $50 for second and third, and a Santa-suit costume contest follows.

If you plan to run, two dates come before race day. You can add packet mailing to your registration until November 24, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Central time. In-person packet pickup is Thursday, December 10, and Friday, December 11, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Road Runner Sports, 1338 4th Street in Santa Monica. The first 90 minutes are free in the public structure at 1234 4th Street. Parking near the start is at 2701 Barnard Way, about a mile from the finish line. Those lots open at 5 a.m. and take cash only.

If you have extra time after the awards, the Venice Beach Skatepark at 1500 Ocean Front Walk is a short walk down the boardwalk. It reopened in August after a renovation. Hoodline reported that The Skatepark Project, Nicolai Marciano, LA Recreation and Parks and Councilmember Traci Park were partners in the work.

Two Sundays on the canals

The Sundays move a few blocks south and get quieter. Both events are run by the Venice Canals Association, and both are organized by neighbors.

The Holiday Toy Drive is Sunday, December 6, from 2 to 5 p.m. at Linnie Canal Park, with Santa there from 4 to 5 p.m. Cynthia Conway chairs it. According to Play Map LA's event listing, the drive is tied to the LAFD's Spark of Love campaign. It falls the afternoon after the Sign Lighting, so it is an easy one to plan for. If you buy a toy during the week, you can bring it on Sunday.

The Holiday Boat Parade is the following Sunday, December 13, from 4 p.m. on. Renee Kaplan and Monnie Fanning chair it. The Association's events page puts it plainly.

"We invite you to decorate a boat and join in on the fun. All are welcome to partake in this festive activity."

The parade has no stage and no street closure, and no sponsor package is listed. It is built from the boats neighbors decorate. The Association keeps a dedicated boat parade page for anyone who wants to put a boat in the water.

The calendar runs past the holidays too. The Association's annual meeting is on January 25, 2027, and the events page marks it as the group's 50th anniversary, with everyone welcome. That makes the canals' organizing group more than three times as old as the Sign Lighting.

The month in order

1. Tuesday, Nov. 24, 11:59 p.m. Central: last chance to add packet mailing for the Christmas Run.
2. Saturday, Dec. 5, 6–9 p.m.: 15th Annual Venice Holiday Sign Lighting at 100 Windward Avenue, with the winners of the "My Venice Holiday Poster Contest" announced. Free.
3. Sunday, Dec. 6, 2–5 p.m.: Venice Canals Holiday Toy Drive at Linnie Canal Park, with Santa from 4 to 5 p.m.
4. Thursday–Friday, Dec. 10–11, 11 a.m.–5 p.m.: Christmas Run packet pickup at Road Runner Sports, 1338 4th Street, Santa Monica.
5. Saturday, Dec. 12, from 5 a.m.: Christmas Run crossings and the Dell Avenue closure take effect. The 5K starts at 7 a.m., the 10K at 8 a.m., and the post-race party is in Windward Plaza.
6. Sunday, Dec. 13, 4 p.m. onward: Venice Canals Holiday Boat Parade.
7. Monday, Jan. 25, 2027: Venice Canals Association annual meeting, marking its 50th year.

If you're thinking about selling a home near Windward or along the canals in the new year, the dates on this list are the ones buyers first see the neighborhood through. Scott Price Realty can help you plan a listing around those blocks and show a buyer what living there is like. Ask us what your home is worth before the boats go in the water.