Festivals honor culture, celebrate spring season
by Citlali Moreno
Spring has come and summer will soon follow with its warming temperatures and unique celebrations, making it an ideal time to attend festivals and events.
One such festival is the Armenian Food Fair & Fest, an outdoor event celebrating Armenian culture with authentic food, music and talent. It is located at 900 W. Lincoln Ave., Montebello and will be from 2-10 p.m. May 19.
Celebrated May 25–28, the 60th Annual Garden Grove Strawberry Festival is a free outdoor event with a variety of vendors, located between Euclid and Main Streets in Downtown Garden Grove.
Photo courtesy of armenianfoodfair.com
Event hours will be Friday from 1-10 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. and Memorial Day from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. According to strawberryfestival.org, Orange County Transportation Authority buses will take visitors from bus routes 37, 37A and 56 to the festival.
Besides the excitement of attending a festival, it can also become a learning experience. Black Excellence Festival, according to eventbrite.com, is an event celebrating Africans and the African Diaspora, showing love for people, food, music, dance, accomplishments and culture. It will be held May 5 from 12-3 p.m. at Cal State Los Angeles.
As for summer festivals, the L.A. County Fair, an outdoor admission-required event, will be held Aug. 31-Sept. 23 at 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona. The L.A. County Fair is widely known and frequently visited.
“I love attending festivals and fairs because they’re fun; you can eat a lot of interesting foods and get on rides. I’ve gone to the L.A. County Fair basically every year. It’s really unique because it has performances by many American and Latino artists, as well as all the food and rides,” said senior Karla Escobar.
Lotus Festival is a free celebration of Echo Park Lake’s beloved lotus blooming. According to culturela.org, Echo Park Lake was selected as the site for the event due to its central location to local Asian and Pacific Islander communities and because it features the largest lotus bed in the United States.
It will be available to the public July 14-15 at 751 Echo Park Ave., Los Angeles. Additional information is available at laparks.org/lotusfestivals.
From strawberry festivals to cultural events, a wide range of activities can be enjoyed in surrounding communities.