Once again , Team Venice Paparazzi were the official photographers of Venice’s and Southern California’s largest free community festival, the Abbot Kinney Festival. Woo hoo!

Venice Paparazzi had multiple photographers on the scene at the year’s Abbot Kinney Festival.   See if you made the cut in the gallery below.  Thank you to Abbot Kinney Merchant Association for utilizing our photography services.

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ABBOT KINNEY FESTIVAL CELEBRATES 33 YEARS OF GIVING BACK
The annual Abbot Kinney Festival returned for its 33rd year on Sunday, September 24, 2017, from 10am to 6pm, celebrating the best of world-famous Abbot Kinney Boulevard. “This year’s festival was better than ever! The street were packed fo a mile of FREE fun!   There really is something for everyone” says Kim Sharp, Abbot Kinney Festival Association (AKFA) Board Member. “We’re proud to keep up this annual Venice tradition while reinvesting the proceeds into numerous local nonprofits and community organizations through our Community Grants Program.”
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The festival includes food trucks, beer and spirit gardens, live music and handcrafted goods framed by the eclectic brick-and-mortar boutiques, renowned restaurants and art galleries that make Abbot Kinney a singularly unmatched destination. Music includes four stages; The Brig All Vinyl stage, Andalusia Local stage, Westminster Indie Artists and KidsQuad Family Stage. In addition to the KidsQuad Family stage, the outdoor expansive family area will have a surf machine, mega slides, ferris wheel, rock climbing, arts & crafts, awesome games and so much more!  For more info:   AbbotKinney.org   l

 

Abbot Kinney Festival! #AKF2017 www.AbbotKinney.org Photo by www.VenicePaparazzi.com

DID YOU KNOW THAT….Revenue generated from the festival through exhibitor booth sales and sponsorship fund the AKFA Community Grant Program. The Community Grant Program supports organizations who specifically serve the community of Venice.   Way to go AK Festival!  Have a local profit, and want more details on this grant?  Visit www.abbotkinney.org/grants

This year AKFA is funding 22 local organizations!  Creating Better Communities, Friends of Broadway, Friends of Coeur d’Alene, Friends of Walgrove Elementary School, Friends of Westminster, Girls PACT, Hacker Fund, Harvest Home, Open Temple, Pacific Area Boosters Association, Pluribus, ReDiscover Center, Seeds to Plate at Mark Twain Middle School, The Children’s Lifesaving Foundation, The Electric Lodge, Westminster Elementary School, Venice Art Crawl, Venice Arts, Venice High School STEMM Magnet, Venice Oceanarium, Venice Public Art, Venice Resistance.

Abbot Kinney Festival! #AKF2017 www.AbbotKinney.org Photo by www.VenicePaparazzi.com

COMMUNITY PRIDE
In addition to awarding community grants, AKFA has recognized exemplary residents and stakeholders nominated by the community for their contributions to the spirit, creativity and uniqueness of Venice. The first Spirit of Venice Award was presented in 1989 to descendants of Abbot Kinney, the founder of Venice, CA. Also that year, West Washington Boulevard was renamed to Abbot Kinney Boulevard in his honor.
Awardees this year include:
  • Marianne Brown, Community Contributor.  Master Gardener Seeds to Plate program at Mark Twain Middle School
  • Steve Weller (Posthumous) Community Contributor.  Director LAPD Homeless Task Force – Venice Pastor – Venice Foursquare Church
  • Regina Weller, Community Contributor.   LAPD Homeless Task Force
  • Elisa James, Community Contributor.  Board of Directors, Abbot Kinney Festival Association.  Co-Chair Abbot Kinney Merchants Association.   Community liaison with many homeless agencies

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VP Fun fact:  Venice Paparazzi’s co-founder Edizen received a Spirit of Venice Award, and a City of L.A. Certificate of Recognition from City Council member Mike Bonin in 2015.  View all past recipients here.  Do you know someone who deserves to be acknowledged and honored for their contribution to Venice? Nominate them next year for the 2018 AKF Spirit Award.  Details here.

View this year’s experience through the lens of Venice Paparazzi. ,,.

All photos by Team Venice Paparazzi’s Edizen and Alex Stowell, Steve Larson, Irina Sarnetskaya, Katherine Treadwell, and Ian Moore.

 

View all Abbot Kinney Festival photos by Team Venice Paparazzi here.  Links below!

For more info on Abbot Kinney Blvd.  Check out these sites!

Thank You to Our Partners