Community spirit shines through the rain at the 39th annual Loisaida Festival

Photos and story by Stacie Joy 

Despite the rain, today still turned out to be a really nice celebration for the 39th edition of the Loisaida Festival along Avenue C. 

Throughout the afternoon, we kept hearing people talk about how important it is to preserve this longtime neighborhood cultural institution — one that continues to bring together music, food, performances and community across generations. 

This year's festival, themed "Our AmeRícan Thing" in honor of the late poet Jesús "Tato" Laviera, once again filled Avenue C with live music, dancing, vendors and plenty of neighborhood spirit, rain and all.

The annual event is presented by Loisaida Inc., the longtime Puerto Rican-led arts and community organization based at the Loisaida Center on Ninth Street.

Loisaida Festival returns to Avenue C on Sunday with its 39th edition

Poster by Mateo Nazario

The 39th Annual Loisaida Festival returns to Avenue C on Sunday ... once again bringing an afternoon of live music, performances, food vendors and community programming to the neighborhood. 

This year's festival — themed "Our AmeRícan Thing" in honor of the late poet Jesús "Tato" Laviera — takes place from noon to 5 p.m. along Avenue C between Fifth Street and 12th Street, rain or sun. 

The day begins with an 11 a.m. community parade led by the all-female Batalá NY batucada ensemble, joined by groups including the Loisaida Cabezudos, Bond Street Theater and Pleneros Callejeros. 

Festival organizers say this year's lineup includes salsa, merengue, Latin jazz, cumbia-rock and spoken-word performances throughout the afternoon, along with an artisan market between Fifth Street and Sixth Street presented in partnership with PRIDA. 

The annual event is presented by Loisaida Inc., the longtime Puerto Rican-led arts and community organization based at the Loisaida Center on Ninth Street.

Noted

Photo by Stacie Joy 

A flyer on Avenue A for new East Villagers — noting "gentrification guilt" — and encouragement to attend the 38th annual Loisaida Festival tomorrow (Sunday!) along Avenue C.

The notice, which isn't part of any official Loisaida Festival signage, states: "We'll be there surveying our locals for knowledge to aid our anti-gentrification efforts... and serving lemonade."

Sunday marks the 38th edition of the Loisaida Festival

The 38th annual Loisaida Festival is happening on Sunday, May 25, from noon to 5 p.m. 

Per organizers: 

On Loisaida Avenue, culture isn't just celebrated — it's lived. The festival becomes a reunion for neighbors, friends, and families who gather to dance, laugh, and remember what it means to belong. It's a Puerto Rican celebration that wraps the whole community in music, memory, and that undeniable feeling of home. 

The year's festival also honors Marlis Momber, the longtime Lower East Side documentarian and activist who passed away on April 1 after a battle with cancer. 

The event, which unfolds along Avenue C-Loisaida Avenue between Fifth Street and 12th Street, includes more than 50 artisans and 10 food vendors. 

There's also a slate of bands and musicians on the main stage and elsewhere on the festival grounds. Visit this link for details.

Festival poster created by Ana Teresa Rodríguez and María Domínguez.

At the annual Loisaida Festival

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Yesterday, the 37th edition of the Loisaida Festival unfolded under sunny blue skies, as attendees celebrated the rich heritage of the Lower East Side during this annual Memorial Day weekend event. 

This year's theme was "A Cultural Mosaic." 

Here are a few scenes from along Avenue C/Loisaida Avenue, where festival-goers enjoyed live music (we saw Pinc Louds!), theater, food, a dancing F train and much more...

Reminders: The Loisaida Festival is today

Poster by Juan Carlos Pinto 

In case you missed our post this past Tuesday: The annual Loisaida Festival is today.

This year's theme is "A Cultural Mosaic," which organizers say "beautifully encapsulates the diverse heritage and vibrant spirit of New York City's Lower East Side." 

The event, which unfolds along Avenue C-Loisaida Avenue between Fifth Street and 12th Street, includes more than 50 artisans and 10 food vendors. (And this goes on rain or shine, in case you were eyeing the weather.)

There's also a slate of bands and musicians (including Pinc Louds at noon) on the main stage and elsewhere on the festival grounds. Visit this link for details.

The 37th edition of the Loisaida Festival takes place on May 26

Poster by Juan Carlos Pinto 

The 37th annual Loisaida Festival is happening on Sunday, May 26. 

This year's theme is "A Cultural Mosaic," which organizers say "beautifully encapsulates the diverse heritage and vibrant spirit of New York City's Lower East Side." 

The event, which unfolds along Avenue C-Loisaida Avenue between Fifth Street and 12th Street, includes more than 50 artisans and 10 food vendors. 

There's also a slate of bands and musicians on the main stage and elsewhere on the festival grounds. Visit this link for details.

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'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...

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's parting shot

Today during the Loisaida Festival on Avenue C... photo by Derek Berg...

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.

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.

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.