8th Annual Festival De La Gente (10/27/07-10/28/07)

[TikiRoomLiz]

ADMIN NOTE - EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED

The Annual Festival De La Gente is back!

This colorful event is part Day Of The Dead celebration and art fair, connecting the streets of Boyle Heights to Downtown's Arts District - all taking place on the historic 6th Street bridge in Los Angeles(used in various films and videos).

The festival takes place on:
Sat. - Oct. 27 (11am - 10pm)
Sun. - Oct. 28 (11am - 8pm)

Festival de la Gente was conceived in 1999 to provide a venue for local artists and musicians to showcase their talent, preserve the tradition of Día de los Muertos and bring the community a unique event that encourages the celebration of life and provides an opportunity to honor their ancestors. Festival de la Gente Inc. was formed in 2003 to bring the event to a new venue and to include the involvement of community based organizations and commercial sponsors.

The new location, on the 6th Street Bridge, has allowed Festival de la Gente to produce a larger, more spectacular event with A-list talent and support from major media outlets. The historic three-quarter-mile-long 6th Street Bridge provides the perfect backdrop for Festival de la Gente to create a carnivale-like atmosphere featuring Arte Calidad’s fabulous inventory of papel maché puppets, such as 80-foot calaveras (skeletons), a 20-foot feathered serpent and a 20-foot Aztec sun.

[Dustysage]

Cool Liz. Have you been in the past?

[Dustysage]

Bad news - The event has been canceled

October 19, 2009

PRESS RELEASE

City of Los Angeles “Day of the Dead” Cultural Festival Canceled

Councilman Jose Huizar’s Office Unable to Waive Safety and Park Fees
For What Would Have Been the 10TH Annual Festival De La Gente

LOS ANGELES, CA – The producer of the Festival de La Gente announced today that it was forced to cancel the festival that was to be held this weekend, on October 24 and 25, 2009. The producer was able to secure corporate sponsorships from GOYA FOODS, WELLS FARGO AND, HOY/Los Angeles Times and the WALT DISNEY Company and local art and food vendors for the budgeted costs. However, last-minute add-on fees from the City of Los Angeles for public safety and use of Hollenbeck Park were not covered by the City of Los Angeles as they have been in the past.

“In good faith, I began this process of partnership with Los Angeles City Council District 14 back in March of 2009. Per their request, I pursued a new location for the festival at Hollenbeck Park in Boyle Heights,” said Tony Dominguez, Executive Director of Arte Calidad Cultural Institute, the non-profit organization that produces the festival. “Last week I was informed of the additional fees associated with the new location and the Department of Recreation and Parks. Those costs were more than 30% of the event’s current budget and we could not raise replacement funds with such short notice,” he added.

The Councilman Huizar’s office representative, Ana Cubas, stated, “Our office, like the entire city budget has faced major cutbacks,” in explaining why it could not support the festival this year although Mr. Huizar name is used in all promotional material including the web site: festivaldelagente.org

Marketed as the nation’s largest “Día de los Muertos” commemoration, the free festival typically includes a display of giant paper maché skeleton characters joining in the fun. Día de los Muertos is a Latin American cultural tradition that honors life and the spirit of family and friends who have passed on. The iconic playful skeletons were made famous by Mexican artist Jose Posada and are recreated by famed L.A. based paper maché artist, Tony Dominguez.

In an effort to build community pride and acknowledge biculturalism, the 2-day cultural festival would have featured children’s themed arts and crafts, an altar contest, and traditional foods. The festival has also been a venue for local bands. In 2008, festival attendance exceeded the expected 60,000 per day.

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About Arte Calidad Cultural Institute: The art school is for Latino youth who need positive role models and a place where they can mold their art aptitude into marketable job skills that will keep them away from graffiti “tagging crews”, gangs and jail.