Coastal Cleanups plus Ventura’s Autumn ArtWalk Returns Sept. 23-24, 2023 with art, music, poetry and more!

Mighty Zenith at Burning Man

This autumnal equinox weekend Sept 23-24 sees the return not only of monarch butterflies, shorter days, cooler nights, and coastal cleanups, but the Ventura Artwork in downtown and the westside for art, poetry, music, and more at numerous locations including City Hall, the Ventura Museum, Mission Park, and in various shops and streets. (See map below). And I will be participating too by reading poetry at City Hall today with several other poets between noon and 1pm.  

Artwork City Hall

Highlights of the event include seeing art that went to Burning Man in 2022: Deniz Nicole’s Kaleidoscope pictured below at Burning Man will be at the Ventura Museum located on Main near Ventura Avenue.

Deniz Nicole’s Kaleidescope

In nearby Mission Park watch the Mighty Zenith, a mutant vehicle or art car that is a 24′ vintage TV set that serves as a stage where you can be the content!

sTeVe TV, the Mighty Zenith, is a mobile community stage in which YOU can be the content. Musicians, storytellers, actors, and poets can share their inspiration! The Art Car, developed by local artist sTeVe Knauff, is a fixture at Burning Man most years and at other events including Lucidity Festival in Santa Barbara.

Artwork Ventura

Musical guests on the Main Street Stage on Saturday include dance friendly Shaky Feelin’, Brion Shearer’s Unreliable Villains, and Jason Brock’s latest project Twice as Clever with more music on Sunday.

ArtWalk bands

Here’s the map of what is where– it links to the ArtWalk website: 

Art walk map 2023

As you can see, there’s a lot going on in downtown Ventura and the West side this weekend! 

In addition, Avenue Art Stroll and Car Show happened, but you can still check out the art this weekend: 

On Sunday, at Portside Ventura you’ll find a Maker’s Fair.

Portside Makers

And this weekend is also the Coastal Cleanup Day— I saw volunteers for Surfrider at C Street Friday, and there are other cleanups going on all along the coast, with most this morning but others at different times. Several groups like Surfrider offer monthly cleanup events. 

So see you on the streets! There’s plenty to fall for this fall! 

PS for my students, attend 2-3 hours of events, and write about it in 2-3 pages for extra credit or to make up an absence.