2007 Lummis Day Festival: June 3rd 2007

Musicians, Dancers, Poets and Puppets:
A Kaleidoscope of L.A. Artists,
Fills Lummis Home, Sycamore Grove Park
At 2nd Annual Lummis Day: The Festival of Northeast L.A.
Sunday, June 3, 11:00 am- 7:00 pm.

The rainbow of Northeast L.A.'s traditional and popular culture will be represented in music, dance, poetry, puppetry, art and native American ceremony at the second annual Lummis Day: The Festival of Northeast Los Angeles from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm on Sunday, June 3 at Lummis Home, and Sycamore Grove Park.

Authors Steve Abee, Suzanne Lummis, Lynne Thompson, and Charles Harper Webb, each representing a singular current in contemporary poetry will read at the opening reception at Lummis Home, sponsored by Poets & Writers and the Historical Society of Southern California. Cellist Kevin Buck will also perform. 

Following the opening reception, the Arroyo Arts Collective will lead a trek along the Arroyo riverbed to Sycamore Grove Park where the remainder of the day's events will be staged. The procession will be preceded by giant puppets created by local artists and inspired by Tongva-Gabrielino Indian imagery.

The Festival's musical and dance performers represent the broad range of traditions, genres and sensibilities that flourish in the Northeast L.A. neighborhoods, including the inventive spin-offs of Chicano rock created by Quetzal and Ollin, the alternative, folk punk-a-billy of the Evangenitals, fiery Latin jazz and salsa by the Susie Hansen Latin Band, working class roots rock by Ann Likes Red and virtuoso, straight-ahead blues by the Greger Walnum Blues Band.

Dance performers include Pilipino folk performers, Likas Pilipina Folk Arts, Mexican folkloric dance by Ballet Coco and Native American ensembles and Danza Azteca Cuahtlehuanit.

Individual artists presented by the Arroyo Arts Collective, Rock Rose Productions and the Cactus Gallery will exhibit a broad range of work.

The Festival will include activities for children and families, including puppet performances by Rene and His Marionettes and the Puppets and Players Little Theater. Restaurants serving Mexican, Filipino, Italian and Thai food will be vending an international smorgasbord of snacks.

In conjunction with the Festival, the Arroyo Seco branch of the Los Angeles Public Library will mount an exhibit on Lummis and his work during the last week of May. Additionally, the Autry National Center will present an exhibition on the life of Charles Lummis, May 5th through July 8th, open Saturdays and Sundays from 12 noon to 5:00 pm at the Southwest Museum. The Southwest Museum will also be the site of the Avenue 50 Studio’s Lummis Day exhibition, which will feature the work of Chicano artists from Northeast L.A.  Admission is free.