anyone else miss street fairs? (Santa Monica: marketplace, streets, friend)

[Sorcerer68]

2 weekends ago there was a street fair in Silverlake.

[Desertho]

Originally Posted by katenik

i have lived in four of the busiest cities in the country, and spent a great deal of time in a fifth, and LA is the only one that doesn't seem to have an annual street fair during the summer. new york and san francisco have something going on in the streets practically every weekend when the weather is warm; chicago has "the taste," a concept so successful that other cities have adopted it. LA has what? i recall the short-lived "street scene" downtown in the 80s, but nothing since. ironically, we have the best weather for it, yet we almost never erect the barricades, and party in the streets. what's up with that?

You have to be a shut-in not to notice that Los Angeles holds numerous LARGE street fairs.

Here's a rundown of some
Sunset Junction: Aug. 18-19. It's the hipster's street fair. Young people to blame for gentrification congregate here once a year.
Tofufest: Aug. 18-19. For the same people as above. This one is in Little Tokyo.
Fiesta Broadway: April 29. A huge celebration of Latino culture complete with beer sponsorships wherever you turn. Also in Downtown LA.
Lotusfest: July 13. Asian-oriented celebration in Echo Park where, yes, to see the lotus flowers bloom. When did you ever see anything bloom in NYC or Chicago? Flowers go to die in those cities.
Larchmont Family Fair: Oct. 28. For the families of Hancock Park. That means the nanny gets the day off. Strictly BYOB.
NoHo Arts Festival: Oct. 6. Now that the idea stopped being funny anymore and has now become a cause of concern, NoHo Arts District showcases the Valley's non-porn related artistic endeavours. If you like authentically struggling artists to impress you, this is it.
and of course..

The Grove where everyday is a street fair!

Come Angelenos, add some street fairs you know or you've been to. Let's school some ign'int people here.

[katenik]

Originally Posted by Desertho

You have to be a shut-in not to notice that Los Angeles holds numerous LARGE street fairs.

Here's a rundown of some
Sunset Junction: Aug. 18-19. It's the hipster's street fair. Young people to blame for gentrification congregate here once a year.
Tofufest: Aug. 18-19. For the same people as above. This one is in Little Tokyo.
Fiesta Broadway: April 29. A huge celebration of Latino culture complete with beer sponsorships wherever you turn. Also in Downtown LA.
Lotusfest: July 13. Asian-oriented celebration in Echo Park where, yes, to see the lotus flowers bloom. When did you ever see anything bloom in NYC or Chicago? Flowers go to die in those cities.
Larchmont Family Fair: Oct. 28. For the families of Hancock Park. That means the nanny gets the day off. Strictly BYOB.
NoHo Arts Festival: Oct. 6. Now that the idea stopped being funny anymore and has now become a cause of concern, NoHo Arts District showcases the Valley's non-porn related artistic endeavours. If you like authentically struggling artists to impress you, this is it.
and of course..

The Grove where everyday is a street fair!

Come Angelenos, add some street fairs you know or you've been to. Let's school some ign'int people here.

all of the above seem very "special interest"/neighborhood-specific. i have in mind something centrally located, and intended to bring together the broader LA community. (incidentally, i really don't appreciate being called ignorant. i don't insult anyone in this forum, and i expect the same consideration. thank you very much.)

[Desertho]

Originally Posted by katenik

all of the above seem very "special interest"/neighborhood-specific. i have in mind something centrally located, and intended to bring together the broader LA community. (incidentally, i really don't appreciate being called ignorant. i don't insult anyone in this forum, and i expect the same consideration. thank you very much.)

Uhm, the Taste of Chicago is also special interest geared towards, you know, FOOD. I also don't know this central New York street fair that you are talking about. Every single one of LA's street fairs is inclusive. The fact that it has character and not held in Downtown doesn't mean you can jump in and join. Open your mind a little bit more about what LA is about. Our neighborhoods define us, and it looks like since NYC and Chicago do not do hold the kind of street fairs you claim they do, it seems like LA is just being normal.

[the one]

susnet junction was for everyone. it was a place for leather clad daddies in harnesses to strut along side curious cholos who made yuppie new comers instinctively clutch their kids/purses. nannies would gather and complain about all the rugrats they had to watch, immigrant families would mix with neo-hippies. there were all kinds of people there. all of LA came from all over for this fair. and yes it was neighborhood specific, just like dorry alley, folsom st., calle ocho etc. there is nothing wrong with that. those are the best. what exactly are you lookin for because broader LA was definitely represented.

[Sorcerer68]

Originally Posted by katenik

all of the above seem very "special interest"/neighborhood-specific. i have in mind something centrally located, and intended to bring together the broader LA community. (incidentally, i really don't appreciate being called ignorant. i don't insult anyone in this forum, and i expect the same consideration. thank you very much.)

And where, pray tell...would be centrally located?

[katenik]

Originally Posted by Sorcerer68

And where, pray tell...would be centrally located?

anywhere that's easy for ME to access, of course.

(i've seen a lot of your posts, and really like the things you have to say, btw.)

[Texasturkey]

Originally Posted by LALady

Los Angeles country fair - biggest fair I have ever been to.

County Fairs:

Los Angeles County Fair-Pomona
Antelope Valley Fair-Lancaster
Orange County Fair-Costa Mesa
Ventura County Fair-Ventura
Riverside County Fair-Indio

Street Festivals:

Long Beach (Brazillian),Chili Cook Off Long Beach/Belmont Shores,La Mirada (Olive), La Habra (Corn), Downey, Fullerton, Tall Ships (Dana Point), Garden Grove (Strawberry), San Pedro (Lobster) LA/Little Tokyo (Tofu), LA/Mac Arthur Park, (Tamale), Pomona (Asian), Beaumont (Cherry) and other Southern CA cities.

The Whittier Uptown Festival is no longer happening. Due to the same problems a previous poster mentioned. It had to due with vendors, prices and entertainment venues. The presence of gangs and punks from parts of Whittier, Pico Rivera, Montebello and East LA didn't help. Families and visitors complained to the city council and the festival was halted. Oh well.

[VillageLife]

I was at the L.A.Fair when it started. it's ending pretty soon.

[matt345]

The Abbot Kinney festival is today in Venice.

http://www.abbotkinney.org/