CONNECT, CREATE, AND CELEBRATE
AT THE 23rd ANNUAL SANTA MONICA FESTIVAL
Free Fun for All Ages!
Saturday, June 14, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. at Clover Park

On Saturday, June 14, the City of Santa Monica presents the 23rd annual Santa Monica Festival at Clover Park, connecting art, culture, food, sustainability, wellbeing, and transportation to daily living through an electrifying array of programs, activities, and vendors that will delight and entertain people of all ages. From do-it-yourself workshops and cooking demonstrations, to musical performances and a bicycle rodeo, the Festival invites Angelenos to see, taste, and experience one of the most innovative beach cities in the U.S., a national model for sustainability and cultural vitality. 

The following is a sampling of the festival’s offerings, all of which are free and require no reservations.

OCEAN STAGE: Enjoy music and dance performances starting with a lively drum circle kicking off the festival early at 10:30 a.m. Next up The Dust Bowl Cavaliers, a “seven-man, hot-damn” bluegrass band, will perform their own signature rockin’ bluegrass, traditional folk, and Americana sound followed by Antics, a hip-hop dance theater company, which will entertain with foot-stomping urban dance performances. The Voice of ONE Gospel Singers, will perform songs of peace, love and spirituality, followed by Titus Fotso with UniverSOUL Sound System, a modern blend of fast-paced dance beats and socially conscious lyrics. Las Cafeteras ends the day’s celebration with an energetic bilingual performance fusing Afro-Mexican, hip-hop, folk, and Native American sounds with a community-focused message.

FARMERS MARKET CULINARY STAGE: MC Laura Avery from the world famous Santa Monica Farmers Market will get things cooking with local chefs and culinary experts who will share their secrets to sourcing and preparing meals that are delicious, budget-friendly, and sustainable. Younger festivalgoers can join in the fun with Kids’ Kitchen with Kelly Dumke where they can participate in several nutrition-related presentations. Kids can also test their culinary skills during a kitchen tool quiz and simple recipe preparations. Participants can cool off with Shiho Yoshikawa of Sweet Rose Creamery, who will mix up whimsical, ice cream-based desserts made with fresh, local ingredients. Lastly, Chef Josie Le Balch of Josie Restaurant and former Josie alum Chef and TV personality Jill Davie, will battle it out to see who will reign as the Farmers Market Chef Challenge 2014 winner.  The chef’s test is to prepare a delicious and nutritious vegetarian meal that feeds a family of four for $15 or less utilizing seasonal produce from the Santa Monica Farmers Market.  All chef participants are from Santa Monica-based businesses to promote the City’s Buy Local Santa Monica initiative.

JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION: Celebrate African-American heritage by commemorating the day the last slaves were freed in America in 1865 – nearly three years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. The celebration will include storytelling, exhibits, and other activities depicting the history of the anti-slavery and abolitionist movements, along with live music and dance throughout the afternoon, including the Blue Breeze Band, performing some of Motown’s most memorable songs, Jeane July’s Samba Samba, captivating the audience with its high-energy dances that fuse Afro-rhythms, Cuban Salsa, and pulsating rhythms of Rio de Janeiro for a booty shaking good time, The Voice of ONE Gospel Singers performing traditional gospel and contemporary sacred music, and Ray Brooks and the Blues Masters playing their distinct blues sound that spans five decades.

ACTIVE STAGE: Don’t just stand there—get moving! A variety of fun and active workshops will prove that fitness can be fun. Classes range from yoga and karate to festival favorite Zumba and world dance.  Active Santa Monica offers something for everyone, of all ages and abilities, as part of the City’s commitment to enhancing the community’s wellbeing through fitness and recreation.

FOOD TRUCKS & CARTS: Satisfy your appetite with more than a dozen food trucks, carts, and booths, including: Alili’s Fresh Fruit, Border Grill, Coolhaus, Farmer’s Belly, Gastrobus, India Jones, Hawaiian Delight, Let’s Be Frank, Linde’s Almonds, Luckdish, Mama’s Hot Tamales, Mandoline Grill, Pressed Juicery, Schmuck with a Truck, The Melt, The Urban Oven, Waffles de Liege, and Yalla.

MARKETPLACE: Guilt-free shopping, featuring earth-friendly, artistic wares, jewelry, and crafts from artisans, artists, and independent vendors–just in time for Father’s Day on June 15.

TOWN SQUARE: Meet the people committed to keeping Santa Monica safe, fun, and beautiful. Participating organizations include the American Red Cross, Santa Monica Fire Department, The Broad Stage, Santa Monica Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, the Santa Monica Conservancy and many more.

FAMILY BIKE HUB: Get pedaling with the City’s Planning and Community Development Department. Bicycle skills and safety taught in a fun atmosphere with a helmet decorating workshop and a bike rodeo, a clinic to teach children the skills and precautions of bicycle riding. FREE bike valet is available on 25th Street at Ocean Park Boulevard.

WHEN:           Saturday, June 14, 2014, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
WHERE:         Clover Park, 2600 Ocean Park Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90405
COST:             The Santa Monica Festival is free of charge, and open to all. Parking and bike valet are also free.