This September, a coalition of ocean-minded founders is calling on Los Angeles to show up at Venice Beach for an attempt at the world's largest beach cleanup, bringing community, music and culture together for a cause.
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Run clubs have taken over our streets. Coffee shops have turned into morning dance floors. Thousands of strangers are showing up to parks for lookalike contests.
So why not rally that same energy around something that matters?
On September 19th, Los Angeles is being called to Venice Beach for an attempt at the world's largest beach cleanup. A mass gathering built around one shared goal: bring thousands of people together to take care of the coastline we all share.
The effort is being spearheaded by the founders of Deep Blue, StokedPlastics & Opolis Optics, Akasha Superfoods, OoMee and KOOK, with Love Button Global Movement joining as an official community partner, alongside a growing coalition of nonprofits, brands, athletes, creators, local businesses and ocean communities.
But this isn't meant to belong to them. It belongs to everyone who shows up.
"More than ever, people are seeking a true sense of community and becoming more intentional in a time where human connection is often blurred by screens. Beach clean-ups offer an incredible way to bring people together and make a real impact," says James Merrill, Founder & CEO of StokedPlastics/Opolis Optics.
And people are showing up. In just one week, the event became the #1 trending event in Los Angeles on Partiful. Now, there are more than 1000 folks interested in attending even before the full slate of music, partners and programming has been announced.
Something has shifted in the way people gather. The new social club might be a 5K after work. The new dance floor might open at 9AM and serve matcha. Wellness happens in groups. Communities that once existed online are increasingly meeting in real life.
"There's this incredible return to the real world happening right now. People want to belong to something again," says Christina Kuklinski, Founder & CEO of KOOK. "We just saw thousands of people gather in Glendale to celebrate being bald. Why can't we create that same energy around taking care of the ocean?"
That spirit of connection will extend beyond the cleanup itself thanks to Love Button, which is helping bring the event to life as an official community partner. On the beach, participants will take part in Love Button's signature "Wear One, Share One" activation: receiving one Love Button pin to wear and another to pass along to someone else, carrying a simple act of connection beyond the shoreline and into the community.
"Love Button is rooted in the belief that small acts of love, when multiplied across a community, can create extraordinary change," says Dr. Paige, Operating Director of Love Button Global Movement. "There is something incredibly powerful about thousands of people coming together to care for a place we all share. Through Wear One, Share One, we hope every person leaves knowing they made a meaningful difference, not only for our beach and ocean, but for one another. And we hope that feeling of love, connection, and service continues long after the cleanup is over, inspiring each of us to carry love into action wherever we go."
Through a 50 day campaign, the group has been calling on Diplo to join in on the action. The founders have impersonated him and his stunt double, rolled around in seaweed, and even dressed like a giant shrimp all to get his attention. He's not being added to distract from the mission. He's there because music brings people together. Plus who doesn't want to pick up trash with a sick beat in the background?
The ambition is to create the kind of morning you'd want to be part of anyway, then give all that collective energy somewhere meaningful to go.
"I believe what's cool and what's good for the planet don't have to live in separate worlds. This event is proof of that. We're not asking people to show up out of obligation, we're giving them a reason to want to be there. Deep Blue's mission has always been to make environmentalism part of the culture, part of what's in style." says Brooke Buckman, Founder and CEO of Deep Blue.
So LA it's time to show up. Show up with your roommate. Your run club. Your surf crew. Your coworkers. Your situationship. Your mom. Just show up.
THE DETAILS
WHAT: An attempt at the world's largest beach cleanup
WHEN: September 19, 2026 • 4PM-8PM
WHERE: Tower 18, Venice Beach • Los Angeles (across from the Skate Park)
COST: Free
WHO: Everyone
RSVP: https://partiful.com/e/L4vYZtFyudi1IkLsJiCS
VOLUNTEER: https://forms.gle/8fDXDm8pMxGoGarf9
Additional organizations, music, partners and programming will be announced in the weeks leading up to the event.
MEDIA + PARTNERSHIPS
Media: Christina Kuklinski, [email protected]
Partnerships: Lauren Plunk, [email protected]
Interviews, imagery and additional event assets are available upon request.
KOOK is an ocean-first brand redefining what performance and sustainability mean in the world of beauty. Built in Los Angeles and tested by ocean athletes around the world, KOOK creates high-performance hair and skincare designed to protect from sun, salt, surf, and chlorine. As a certified B Corp, every formula is made with ethically sourced, vegan, cruelty-free, and reef-safe ingredients while delivering real durability and function in the elements. Through their partnership with Seatrees, every product purchased supports carbon sequestration and safer habitats for marine life.
Deep Blue is a premium streetwear brand built on a simple idea: the clothes you wear shouldn't cost the ocean. Every piece is made from 100% natural cotton, cut and sewn entirely in the USA with living wages, no synthetic fibers, no plastic, and every order funds the removal of one pound of ocean plastic through Deep Blue's verified partnership with 4ocean. For Deep Blue, sustainability is a part of the culture, and of what's in style.
Opolis Optics offers the most sustainable eyewear on the market, crafted with its patented recycled-content blend, StokedPlastics. Each pair of sunglasses and ski/snowboard goggles is made from plastic water bottles recovered from oceans and landfills, combining sustainability with exceptional performance. Available at major outdoor retailers like REI, L.L. Bean, Paragon Sports, EVO, and Backcountry.com, Opolis has helped remove around 1 million ocean-bound and found water bottles to date.
Akasha Superfoods was born in Los Angeles from our founding team's deep love for the ocean and commitment to ocean sustainability. The ocean brings peace, health, and some of the world's most nutrient-dense natural resources; an inspiration for their Jellyfish collagen. Powered by ocean minerals and marine botanicals, their superfoods are crafted to elevate daily wellness while supporting radiant beauty and long-term vitality. Since inception, the company has supported efforts to collect ocean plastic, restore coral reefs, and improve ocean farming practices. While the ocean has taken care of all of us for generations, Akasha remains committed to taking care of it back.
OoMee is America's first seaweed-based beverage, designed to help you feel fuller and more satisfied through the power of seaweed fiber. We believe the future of nutrition shouldn't require us to choose between human health and the health of our planet. Our seaweed-based fiber can generate up to 430 times less CO₂ emissions than conventional sources of dietary fiber, showing how what's better for our bodies can also be dramatically lighter on the planet.
Love Button is a nonprofit organization dedicated to cultivating a culture of love through acts of kindness, compassion and human connection. Through programs and initiatives around the world, Love Button inspires people to turn love into action and recognize the ripple effect a single act of kindness can create. As an official community partner of the world's largest beach cleanup attempt, Love Button will help bring that mission to Venice Beach through its Give a Button, Share a Button activation, inviting participants to wear one Love Button and pass another along to someone in their community.
Media Contact
Christina Kuklinski, KOOK, 1 (213) 557-3714, [email protected], gotkook.com
SOURCE KOOK
Share this article