Venice Beach is preparing for an ambitious undertaking this month, as a coalition of Southern California brands plans to host what they intend to be the world’s largest beach cleanup. The event, scheduled for Saturday, September 19, aims to gather more than 2,000 volunteers to remove ocean debris along the iconic stretch of coastline.
Starting at 4pm and running until 8pm, the cleanup will center around Lifeguard Tower 18 at 1800 Ocean Front Walk. Participation is free and open to anyone willing to lend a hand, with advance registration encouraged through Partiful to help organizers track headcounts for the official record attempt. Walk-ins are also welcome on-site.
This large-scale effort is a collaboration of five local, eco-conscious organizations: KOOK, Opolis Optics, OoMee, Deep Blue, and Akasha Superfoods. Each of these brands contributes a specific sustainability focus to the partnership, ranging from ocean-safe skincare and natural-fiber streetwear to recycled eyewear, marine botanical supplements, and ocean-inspired beverages. They are joined by community partners such as the Love Button Global Movement and Next Fun Thing, all working to create an accessible and engaging environment for environmental action.
Beyond the immediate goal of cleaning the beach, the organizers are also aiming for a Guinness World Record for the largest beach cleanup ever. This ambition, they hope, will draw significant attention to the ongoing issue of ocean pollution.
To further amplify the event and draw a crowd, the organizers embarked on a 50-day campaign with the specific objective of recruiting L.A. DJ Diplo to perform at an after-party. Their promotional efforts for this included playful stunts, such as individuals rolling in seaweed, using stunt doubles, and even featuring a giant shrimp costume. The intent behind these efforts, as stated by the organizers, is that music can unite people, making the act of cleaning the coastline an even more appealing group activity with a musical backdrop.
Once collected, the debris won't just be hauled away. The coastal science nonprofit 7Seas Collective will manage the data collection and sorting process for all waste gathered. Volunteers will bring their collected materials to a dedicated sorting tent where items will be categorized, weighed, and then directed to the appropriate recycling or disposal streams. This meticulous approach ensures that the cleanup contributes to valuable scientific data on coastal pollution.
Participants can expect more than just the satisfaction of environmental stewardship. Throughout the evening, free food, drinks, and live music will be provided, ensuring a festive atmosphere. While setting an official world record is a clear target for the event, the underlying mission extends beyond a single achievement. Organizers emphasize that the core purpose is to inspire long-term environmental stewardship among attendees and to foster community by bringing people together for the planet. Those interested in participating can simply grab a bucket, bring a friend, and head to Tower 18 to be part of what promises to be a significant local effort.
