Hey Westside parents,

Venice Rising is now a podcast - hosted by local teens. Every week they'll read you the newsletter, so you can listen instead of scroll. It's brand new and our kids are not pros (yet 🙂 ) - but they're getting better every week!

Extreme Heat Warning Tue 10am through Fri 8pm. At the coast we're fine - low 80s. Five miles inland it's 100 to 110. So Culver City, Palms, Mar Vista: plan around it, especially afternoon pickup and practices.

Need AC? LA County cooling centers are free (and have pool + splash pad finders), or call 211 anytime.

Water before you're thirsty, check on older neighbors, nobody stays in the car.

If you’re already thinking ahead to next year's summer plans, check out our Westside Parent Guide to LA County Junior Lifeguards to learn how to navigate registration, survive the swim tryouts, and prep your kid for the ultimate local rite of passage.

On the schools front, we just wrapped an in-depth walkthrough of Coeur d'Alene Elementary. And in our Westside Public School Rankings Breakdown, we dug into how Coeur d'Alene pulled off a big jump in ELA proficiency under new principal Sophia Fang.

Lots of good stuff happening this week - don't skip the events list below.

kids + families

6th Annual Classic Car Show on the Pier | 10:00am–4:00pm | Sat | 8/29 | Santa Monica Pier. Over 200 pristine classic cars and lowriders line the pier planks. This event is free for spectators, highly visual for kids, and benefits local youth programming.

Protest Poster Making Masterclass with Barbara Carrasco | 2:00pm | Sat | 8/29 | Studios 3026 (3026 Airport Ave, Santa Monica). A hands-on protest art workshop inside the airport art hangers. Led by legendary LA muralist Barbara Carrasco, kids and parents can draw inspiration from the Graphic Resistance exhibition to print and paint their own take-home posters.

Grateful Brunch Live & Family Fun | 12:00pm | Sat | 8/29 | The Venice West (1717 Lincoln Blvd). A loud, casual, kid-friendly live music brunch designed specifically for multi-generational families to dance together.

Bilingual Storytime & Music | 11:00am | Sun | 8/30 | Village Well Books & Coffee. Illustrator Andrea Campos leads an upbeat, musical, bilingual readings session for kids featuring her new picture book. Excellent coffee on-site for parents.

Tongva Twilight: Sounds & Cinema | 7:00pm | Sat | 8/29 | Tongva Park, Santa Monica. A completely free, highly curated outdoor family series featuring live New Orleans funk, salsa music, and outdoor film screenings steps from the beach.

Marina Drum Circle | 11:30am & 12:30pm | Sun | 8/30 | Burton Chace Park, Marina del Rey. Interactive community drumming sessions led by Freedom Drum Circles. All ages and skill levels are welcome, and drums are provided on-site for free.

Crafty but Cute: Free Bag Charm DIY Pop-Up | 12:00pm | Sun | 8/30 | Albion Garden (1043 Abbot Kinney Blvd). A highly unique, under-the-radar creative pop-up taking over the cafe patio. Families can sit down to assemble their own custom Peeko or Luna style bag charms for free. Attendance is strictly capped at 25 spots and includes complimentary cafe drinks and treats, so RSVP early via Partiful.

Venice Electric Light Parade | 15 mins before sunset | Sun | 8/30 | Windward Plaza. Bring the kids and scooters down to the boardwalk to watch the weekly sunset caravan of brilliantly illuminated bicycles roll by.

Broxton Plaza Vegan Street Fair | 3:00pm–8:00pm | Sun | 8/30 | Broxton Plaza, Westwood. A massive, free-entry evening block party that shuts down the street for local plant-based food trucks, indie sustainable brands, and street performances.