Celebrate LA is what happens when two cultural institutions collaborate to host a big party.
We’re still buzzing from Celebrate LA: LA Phil 100 x CicLAvia on September 30th. By transforming streets from Downtown to Hollywood into public parks and giant stages we showcased all the diversity and creativity that makes LA great!
The LA Phil and CicLAvia both inspire change in the region through the transformative power of live music and open streets. That’s why more than a year ago we decided to come together to host an epic celebration of LA’s music, art and culture in honor of LA Phil’s 100th anniversary.
Over 100,000 people participated in Celebrate LA by biking, skating, walking, dancing, and smiling together along eight miles of open streets featuring over 1,800 musicians, dancers, and artists. We worked with an ensemble of local community partners, like Community Arts Resources, to host an array of things to do and see on the festival’s route. There were mobile performances, fun family activities, music and dance across 10 stages, incredible food trucks, giant mobile works of art, and... Gustavo Dudamel! And this was all through more than a dozen Los Angeles neighborhoods, where participants could explore these communities at their own pace, outside of a car. The best part? It was all free!
It’s almost impossible to go through all the many sights, sounds and notable moments, so we pulled together our favorite four memories of Celebrate LA. What was yours?
1). Dudamel in the house! Gustavo Dudamel, the Music and Arts Director for the LA Phil, helped kick off Celebrate LA by leading a performance by YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles)!
2). Mobile art! Celebrate LA participants shared the open streets with giant puppets. There was a moving praying mantis and armadillo, a big walking saxophone, and a huge Dudamel puppet. We think the favorite among participants was the armadillo.
3). The music hit all the right notes! There were more than 100 concerts, and they kept people moving.
4). A real unicorn made an appearance. Okay, so maybe we only wish unicorns were real. But a stage that looked like a unicorn was at the event. And people danced on it. Its name was Charlie the Unicorn Art Car.
Check out our highlight video, which sums up the epic event:
We’re gearing up for another one: CicLAvia - Heart of LA is on December 2, 2018. Yes, it’s just six weeks away. Stay tuned for event news in the coming weeks!
