Showing posts with label Loisaida Festival. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Loisaida Festival. Show all posts

Monday, May 29, 2023

A few scenes from the annual Loisaida Festival

Photos by Stacie Joy

The 36th edition of the Loisaida Festival took place yesterday under sunny blue skies ... as attendees took part in this annual Memorial Day weekend celebration of the rich heritage of the Lower East Side. 

EVG contributor Stacie Joy shared a few photos from along Avenue C where attendees enjoyed live music, theater, food, pony rides, bouncy houses ... and a lot more...
Entertainment away from the main stage included the Casa Adela Rumble with Hip Hop Jibarito...
You can visit the Loisiada Center here for information about year-round programming.

Sunday, May 28, 2023

Sunday's opening shots

As a reminder... the 36th edition of the Loisaida Festival takes place today from noon to 5 p.m. on Avenue C from Fifth Street to 14th Street... workers/volunteers are busy setting up right now.

Find the day's schedule here

There's also a parade that kicks off at 11:20 a.m. ...
We can also confirm the presence of turkey drumsticks this year...

Saturday, May 27, 2023

About the annual Loisaida Festival, taking place tomorrow

The 36th edition of the Loisaida Festival takes place tomorrow (Sunday!) from noon to 5 p.m. on Avenue C, from Fifth Street to 14th Street. 

Per the invite
Enjoy the unity and resolve of the Lower East Side in featuring our diverse immigrant communities marking in its history, Latino culture, music, cuisine, and art of our ever-growing communities. 
Find the day's schedule of live bands and performances here

And check out the highlight reel from last year's festival...

 

Sunday, May 29, 2022

Saturday, May 28, 2022

The Loisaida Festival is TOMORROW

The 35th edition of the Loisaida Festival returns tomorrow (Sunday!) on Avenue C... (the event was virtual the past two years).  

Most of the activities will be taking place between Fifth Street and 12th Street, the site of the main stage with a slate of live bands and DJs throughout the afternoon. 

The Festival is from noon to 5 p.m. ... with an opening parade starting at 11 a.m. featuring Batalá New York, the all-women, Black-led percussion ensemble. 

You can find the full list of performers and other events at this link.

By the way, Chico created this year's festival poster.

Thursday, May 20, 2021

Details on the 34th annual Loisaida Festival

The 34th annual Loisaida Festival will be taking place in a virtual format again this year... celebrated over two days — May 23 and 30.

This year’s theme, ¡Viva Loisaida!, "celebrates the Lower East Side's roots, the elements that characterize the neighborhood, and its residents’ resiliency, creativity, growth and unity."

Here's more about what to expect:
The musical lineup includes: world-renowned Mexican singer and actor Fernando Allende; Afro-Caribbean/electronic music project ÌFÉ; Puerto Rican folk singer Chabela Rodríguez; Afro-Brazilian Samba Reggae All-Female Band Batalá, and acclaimed local contemporary R&B Soul-Jazz artist Duendita as well as Linda Díaz, the winner of NPR's 2020 Tiny Desk Contest.
And about this year's artwork as seen atop this post:
The official artwork for the 34th Annual [Virtual] Loisaida Festival was created by João Salomão, a local Brazilian artist also known as PIXOTE, whose distinctive style is heavily influenced by the Brazilian Pixação graffiti tradition. The commemorative poster for this year's festival was inspired by the LES punk and hip hop's NYC graffiti scene of the late eighties and nineties that helped form João's artistic practice. 
With this year’s design, the artist also pays homage to Loisaida's documentary photographer Marlis Momber, also well known as the co-producer of "Viva Loisaida," a 1978 film documenting life in the late 1970s Loisaida neighborhood.
You can find more info about the Festival and how to tune in online at this link.

Will leave you with the teaser video...

 
The first Loisaida Festival took place in 1987. You can revisit photos from the last one held in-person (2019!) on Avenue C right here.

Friday, May 22, 2020

The 2020 [virtual] Loisaida Festival will take place on the next 2 Sunday afternoons



The 33rd annual Loisaida Festival takes place this Memorial Day weekend, though in an obviously modified format.

The festival, which launched in 1987 along Avenue C, will take place on consecutive Sunday afternoons — May 24 and May 31.

A few details:

Honoring our over 30-year tradition, this year we will bring our cultural festival to the virtual realm, reaching thousands of participants in the comfort and safety of their homes.

It is no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted communities of color, ravaging our health, livelihoods, economic stability, and social-emotional well-being. For these and many other reasons, we stand by our belief that “Arts & Culture = Social Justice” and, therefore, the show must go on!

Our [Virtual] Loisaida Festival’s theme Cuenta Con Nosotros – Count On Us! will highlight the unwavering dedication of our Latinx essential workers, who have bravely fought in the frontlines against the ongoing health crisis, as depicted in this year’s beautiful commemorative artwork by local artist María Dominguez.

You can find the streaming links at the official website.

Sunday, May 26, 2019

At the 32nd annual Loisaida Festival



It was a perfect summer day today for the 32nd annual Loisaida Festival on Avenue C.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by the festival earlier today and shared these photos of the vendors, patrons and performers taking part in the annual Memorial Day weekend gathering...











































Friday, May 24, 2019

Head over to the 32nd annual Loisaida Festival on Avenue C this Sunday



The 32nd annual Loisaida Festival takes place this coming Sunday — always the day before Memorial Day — from noon to 5 p.m. on Avenue C (Sixth Street to 12th Street).

This year's main stage lineup includes old school Puerto Rican pleneros, experimental salsa, Cuban charanga, Afro-Cuban dance and a special musical performance from Puerto Rican theater troupe Y No Habia Luz.

Find the full lineup and schedule for the main stage at this link.

And here are more details via the EVG inbox...

The Festival historically kicks off each year with the Community Parade, a carnival through the streets of Loisaida that leaves from Dry Dock Park at 11 a.m. sharp. Batala NYC, the all-women, Afro Brazilian samba-reggae ensemble will be marching with us! A Community Pageant later closes the Loisaida Festival Theater Lab.

Artwork, costumes, and other props for the Parade and Pageant are created from recycled and found materials from the neighborhood.

The festival is rain or shine... as of now, Sunday's forecast calls for mostly sunny skies with a high of 88 (!!!).

Sunday, May 27, 2018

At the 2018 Loisaida Festival Community Parade



EVG reader Brucie shared these photos from this morning... at the start of the 2018 Loisaida Festival Community Parade, which took place on parts of Avenue C and Avenue D. (You can read more about how the props for the parade came together here)...









The parade ended on Avenue C and 12th Street at the Loisaida Festival's Main Stage...



... and later...



Friday, May 25, 2018

The 31st annual Loisaida Festival is Sunday



This year's Loisaida Festival takes place from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday (rain or no rain) in its usual place — along Avenue C from Sixth Street to 12th Street.

Here's more about this year's edition, via the EVG inbox...

This year’s Loisaida Festival aims to connect local community-based and led efforts in Loisaida’s recovery and resurgence post-Sandy, to the many grassroots and emergent leader efforts that have taken hold in Puerto Rico that have brought hope to communities and empowered local residents to unite and act on their own behalf. “Bridging Resurgence: From Sandy to Maria,” the 2018 Loisaida Festival theme, is also an urgent reminder of the continuing struggle of those still recovering from Hurricane Maria’s devastation of the Island. The Loisaida Center remains committed to the Island’s recovery as an affirmation of our neighborhood’s Puerto Rican heritage.

And here are some links to what you can expect to find ... on the main stage, hosted by Flaco Navaja and Jeannie Sol... at the Loisaida Festival Community Parade, which starts Sunday at 11 a.m. ... and read more about the Festival poster that Gustavo Castrodad created here.

Also on Sunday, four VIVA Loisaida Award honorees will be recognized. The recipients are Damaris Reyes, executive director of GOLES; Aixa Torres, president of the Alfred E. Smith Houses Tenant Association; the Rivera-Fargas family, whose mother, Adela Fargas, owner of Casa Adela, died in January; and Dr. Manuel Moran, founder and artistic director of the Society of Educational Arts (and founder of Teatro Sea at the Clemente).

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

5 big events in May that you may or may not already know about


[Loisaida Festival photo by Stacie Joy]

May marks Lower East Side History Month, the annual celebration created by Fourth Arts Block and Downtown Art, with other local organizations and businesses taking part.

In addition to the activities (see the calendar here) associated with the History Month, here are a few more high-profile events this May...

• May 18-20 — Saint George Ukrainian Festival, Seventh Street. Details here.

• May 19 — Dance Parade and DanceFest, Astor Place, St. Mark's Place and Tompkins Square Park. Details here.

• May 25-27 — The Lower East Side Festival of the Arts, Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave. Details here.

• May 27 — Loisaida Festival, Avenue C. Details here.

Thursday, April 5, 2018

The 31st annual Loisaida Festival is May 27



Finally a sign of spring... the Loisaida Center recently announced the 2018 date for its 31st annual Loisaida Festival... happening this year on May 27 in the usual place — Avenue C from Sixth Street to 12th Street.

Find more details here.

Friday, May 26, 2017

The 30th annual Loisaida Festival is Sunday



Via the EVG inbox...

Loisaida, Inc. is proud to announce the 30th Annual Loisaida Festival, Sunday, May 28, from 11 am to 5 pm along Loisaida Avenue (Avenue C) from 6th to 12th Street. This year the Festival celebrates three decades as the largest public open-air event in Lower Manhattan dedicated to preserving Puerto Rican and Latinx culture, deeply rooted in Loisaida — Spanglish for the Lower East Side.

The 30th Anniversary Festival, which will attract well over 15,000 visitors, is dedicated to The Spirit of the Immigrant and Migrant community and their unique contributions to the Lower East Side, New York City, and beyond. Marine-combat-vet-turned actor, singer, and activist, J.W. Cortes, will return this year as the Festival’s Host and Community Ambassador.

Salsa, Samba, Charanga, Mambo, and Rock and Roll will rule the Festival’s mainstage with a lineup that brings together a magic mix of established and rising Puerto Rican and Latin American artists. This year’s bombastic musical program will feature the Legendary Puerto Rican musician, composer and producer Fran’ Ferrer, founder of Puerto Rico 2010 and Descarga Boricua.

The lineup also includes, Rock and Roll Neoyorquino by Rubí, A Vibes Tribute to Tito Puente! and Cheo Feliciano courtesy of Supermambo – created by Grammy nominated Felipe Fournier; performances by Batalá, an all women Afro Brazilian Samba Reggae Percussion Band, and 70s Charanga music and dancing by Son del Monte.

The Festival will open at 11 am with a Carnival Parade, the result of a month-long intensive collaborative atelier on parade-making & Cabezudo techniques that Loisaida, Inc. commissioned engaging three masters in the arts of street theater — Pablo Varona, Daniel Polnau and Adam Ende — to kick-off the annual celebration.

As always the street-level experience will feature an array of vendors with delicious homemade ethnic cuisine, community organizations distributing critical health and wellness information. The Festival spotlights Healthy Living, Artisan and Eco Zones plus a fun roster of Kid Friendly activities and workshops by El Museo Del Barrio, Friends of the High Line and the Bio Bus, among others.

Find all the details here. Find photos from the 2016 Loisaida Festival here.

Sunday, May 29, 2016

At the 29th annual Loisaida Festival



EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by the festival earlier today on Avenue C... and shared a few photos of the vendors, patrons and performers taking part in the annual Memorial Day weekend gathering...