Robert Downey Jr. Lights Up Venice

I love Venice during the holidays.

As the days get shorter, if you can float it, light it, sing to it, drink to it, or set it on fire (sometimes all at once) Venetians will do it to celebrate whatever winter holiday we care to acknowledge.

And so it was last night. For the first time in a hundred years, the historic Venice sign display at Windward and Pacific was lit with red-and-green colored bulbs to welcome the holiday season. 

Conceived by Venice restaurateur Daniel Samakow, the Inaugural Venice Holiday Sign Lighting and Windward Crawl featured performances by Suzy Williams, Brad Kay, Jeremy Parker, Rachel Toczko, the Band Venice and the Jingle Bell Rockers, followed by the ceremonial flip of the switch by Councilman Bill Rosendahl and actor and Venice resident Robert Downey, Jr.

Attendees were 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. Police will distribute the toys to Westside families on December 15th (for more information on how to donate, click on this link)




Here are my photos from the evening