MUSE WITH ROOS-Who says a megalopolis like Los Angeles shouldn’t enjoy a Village Green with parade and watermelon-eating contest?
Not that these specific events are on the green this weekend in Mar Vista at its annual Fall Festival. But others equally entertaining are, and why not? After all, the sprawl of Los Angeles has been famously described as a collection of stitched-together suburbs, why shouldn’t these independent, if connected communities reach out to their local constituents for local merry-making?
As one of the shiniest, most alluring aspects of the LA Neighborhood Council system, local fiestas really raise the quality of life in LA. If you will be near the westside this Saturday, please consider sharing the wealth at the Mar Vista Recreation Center (McLaughlin and Palms) between 10am – 4pm with hundreds – nay really thousands (but don’t let this intimidate you) of your fellow, local Mar Vistans.
This is the fifteenth annual return of our Community Festival! On the docket is musical and stage entertainment from kids attending several of our local schools. Enjoy their chorales and jazz ensembles, dance and yoga, bands and martial arts performing all day long in rotation on our main stage.
Late in the morning we will celebrate this year’s annual Honoree of the Festival, our own home-grown, highly beloved LA City Council District (CD) 11 Field Deputy, Len Nguyen. He will be introduced by CD11 Councilmember Bonin and other appreciative locals who have worked with him bettering our community for over a dozen years.
Other outdoor events include more active entertainment for engaging the kids, with five supervised inflatables including slides and bouncers, and tables with games and face painting.
Delectables will sustain us all with offerings by eight local food vendors ranging from (among other tasties) crepes and tacos, burgers and BBQ, Dogs and Dumplings, French Fries and pastries.
There will be sales booths focused on local businesses, and artists exhibiting their arts and crafts. In a Community Resources “fair-within-a-fair”, there will be an array of booths highlighting the public service of Community and City organizations. Local schools’ programs and group organizations will be showcased.
Inside the recreation center itself both gym and auditorium will be filled. An art show will display local artistry, some of it offered for sale. A giant silent auction will feature hundreds of items donated by local vendors, artists and other individuals. All proceeds will raise funds for the community; last year’s efforts earned the park an indoor/outdoor inflatable video screen that will debut this weekend with scenes from last year’s festivities!
The entire fandango is an all-volunteer effort by hundreds of local individuals: young, old, student and professional in planning, setting up, supervising, staffing and cleaning away. If you would like to pitch in, someone will be happy to direct you toward helpful ways to lend a hand. Step up and make yourself known, or blend into the festivities: Party In The Park!!
Mar Vista Recreation Community Fall Festival and Silent Auction
Mar Vista Recreation Center
11430 Woodbine Avenue; LA 9006610am – 4pm, October 18, 2014
(Sara Roos is a politically active resident of Mar Vista, a biostatistician, the parent of two teenaged LAUSD students and a CityWatch contributor, who blogs at redqueeninla.com)
-cw
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CityWatch
Vol 12 Issue 84
Pub: Oct 17, 2014
