Santa Monica Festival set to draw them in
CLOVER PARK Residents are being asked to “revel with a cause” this Sunday at the 16th annual Santa Monica Festival. One of the city’s largest gatherings, the fete encourages everyone to celebrate the rich cultural history of the city by the sea, its businesses and the environment with the goal of inspiring people to live greener, healthier and more sustainable lives.
The festival, which begins at 9:30 a.m. and goes until 5:30 p.m., attracts thousands to Clover Park — 2600 Ocean Park Blvd.— where there are scores of booths set up by local nonprofits,artisans and city staff,as well as plenty of fresh food to sample from local restaurants. There will also be workshops on how to create the latest fashions using recycled materials and trick out your boring bicycle to make it hip.
For the first time, this year’s festival will be zero waste, with all power for the event being generated on-site via solar panels and other clean sources of energy. All food not consumed will be recycled or composted. Biodegradable forks and plates will be used.
“We have a history of really focusing on the culture of Santa Monica and part of the culture of Santa Monica is sustainability, and has been for a number of years. We felt it was important to celebrate that,” said Jessica Cusick, cultural affairs manager for City Hall.
Residents are encouraged to arrive on foot or by bicycle. There will be bike valets on hand to park your bike in a safe, convenient place. Bikers are also invited to join in on the Festival Bicycle Parade to Clover Park on Sunday morning. Cyclists will meet at Grant Elementary School, 2368 Pearl Street, between 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.
A local artist will lead a workshop to create decorative flags and other items for bikes and helmets. At 9:30, all bikers will gather for a bike parade to the park under the guidance of officers from the Santa Monica Police Department, who will point out tips for safe biking on city streets along the way Event planners expect between 10,000 and 20,000 people at the festival, depending on weather, but the festivities will go on rain or shine.
And it’s free, except for the food. In past years, the festival has attracted the band Ozomatli and a performance by the San Francisco mime troupe, among others.
This year, the headliner is Cava (www.myspace.com/cavaliscious), a Latin jazz ensemble from East Los Angeles that incorporates Peruvian soul with Cumbia, Salsa, Ska and Afro-Cuban Son.
“I love performing in Santa Monica. The people there are absolutely awesome,” said Claudia Gonzalez, a.k.a. Cava, the lead singer and founder of the group. “Crowds there are always really responsive and willing to listen to any kind of music. I know we cannot go wrong. I have a really special treat for them this time around.”
Gonzalez, whose family is from Mexico, said as a first-generation American she can identify strongly with the mission of the festival. Celebrating diversity is something that she does every day in her music and in life.
“I grew up with a strong sense of my culture, which is very Mexican, but I cannot say it is as strong as those who grew up there,” Gonzalez said. “But it is still just as beautiful. I grew up in LA, so I have been influenced by so many different styles of music, from dance and R&B to alternative rock and Mariachi. I can’t help but include that in my sound.”
In addition to the eclectic styling of Cava, attendees can check out a conscious hop-hop collective from the Pico Youth & Family Center, vintage barbershop harmonies provided by Santa Monica High School’s Barbershop Gentleman, and the addictive rhythms of Street Beat, urban percussionists who make beats using just about anything.
The festival is presented by the Cultural Affairs Division and the Environmental and Public Works Department at City Hall.
“This is a great, fun family event with fabulous entertainment,” Cusick said. “What continues to impress me the most, and why I love the festival, is it is such a wonderful place to come together and it offers everything that is the essence of Santa Monica.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 19, 2007. Read the original PDF.