King Masao and Queen Dakota proclaim the start of summer in Venice at the Summer Soulstice Neptune Festival & Parade

Event: 2015 Summer Soulstice Venice Beach Neptune Festival and Parade. Event coverage by: Andrew Goetze

Here is a Venice, Ca history lesson! 1938 – It began with the arrival of King Neptune in an outrigger canoe followed by Queen Venetia’s coronation and a royal procession along Ocean Front Walk. The queen read a proclamation commanding her subjects to engage in three days of fun and frivolity. The afternoon parade featured floats and costumed merrymakers wearing enormous plaster of paris heads that were manufactured in Arthur Reese’s studio. Windward Avenue was roped off for a street carnival where wandering gondoliers entertained. Photo and insert above from www.westland.net.

This old Venice tradition was reinstated in 2011. The Neptune Festival is the “Venice Start of the Summer Weekend” event!

View 2015 Venice Beach Neptune Parade photos by Andrew Goetz.