Welcome to world famous Venice Beach, the last bastion of the true free spirit of California. There is nothing like it elsewhere in the world, except maybe your childhood experience of going to the circus for the first time, or going to the country fair next to the great big Pacific Ocean. It is one big giant block party every weekend where tourist and locals come together to celebrate the art of life.

What makes Venice Beach unique is not just the sheer number of people who come here, or the "freak show" as so many locals fondly refer to, or the wonderful tropical beach settings, but it is the people who are the central attraction of this wonderful stage. People from all walks of life leave their differences behind, and you can feel the electricity of camaraderie and celebration of human interaction through art, music, laughter, and nature. The free spirit is alive and well here and it is not manufactured or produced by some mass media or corporate agenda, it is pure, it is simple, and it can't be taken away because it is in the heart of the people.

And what is this drum circle you ask? Well, if Venice Beach is a culture all it's own, then the Venice Beach Drum Circle is a sort of underground (meaning unstructured, unorganized, by the people for the people) subculture risen from the need to openly express the timelessness of this artist community. It is exactly what comes to mind if you think about it. It is a bunch of people with drums (sometimes, water jugs, cans with sand, or any other contraption one can think of), sitting around in a circle and playing "together" to create a harmonious sound of such raw primal energy. It is almost meditative in some instances, very catching, and one can't help but dance, or move to the rhythm in some way. It is a release of artistic expression. It is one of the earliest known primal expressions of celebration in most all cultures from around the world. No wonder the urge to dance and be caught up in the music is so cathartic and deep. It is your primal instincts telling you to express yourself come alive. Let the music move you. Let your body move naturally without thoughts or words, just feelings.

Come on down and drop by to Southern California's biggest pool party and enjoy the sun, the sand, the surf, the palm trees, the summer breeze, and experience the art, the music, and the soul of the Venice Beach Drum Circle. If you can't quite get here, sit back and enjoy this little homage to this wonderful place.