Entertainment among Fiesta La Ballona highlights

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A 1950s Fiesta La Ballona parade travels through downtown Culver City. KCET and Culver City will celebrate KCET’s 50th Anniversary by hosting a multimedia exhibit during Fiesta La Ballona Aug. 29. Photo courtesy of the Freeman Family.

Fiesta La Ballona will present three days of free live music and dancing as part of Culver City’s annual “Party in the Park” Aug. 28-30. Fiesta is held at Veterans Park and is produced by the City of Culver City, the Fiesta La Ballona Committee, local sponsors, and almost a hundred volunteers. Veterans Park is located at 4117 Overland Ave. in Culver City and complimentary parking is available.

The event’s diverse performances in the Entertainment Tent will begin on Friday, Aug. 28 at 4:30 p.m. with US 99 performing classic rock and roll. Fiesta-Palooza will start at 6 p.m. and showcase five local teen bands including Detoure, the Academy of Visual and Performing Arts Jazz Combo, Grounded, Scoop, and Silent Partner.

Mariachi Voces de Mexico will launch the performances on Saturday, Aug. 29 at noon and they will be followed by Grupo Folklorico Macias performing folk dances of Mexico.  Kelly Rae Band will offer classic and contemporary country music at 1:45 p.m. followed by Jackie’s Posse performing country line dancing.  A. D. and the Soul Company will perform R&B, funk and soul at 3:30 p.m., followed by OTE Dance Studio with a performance of jazz and hip-hop at 4:30 p.m. At 5:15 p.m. Wildfire will offer a performance of the most current popular music.

Next, Grupo La Rosa will present lively folk dances from the Americas.  Saturday night’s last live performance starting at 7 p.m. will be a two-hour swing dance party featuring Jumpin’ Joz Band. This performance is sponsored by Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas.

Cali Rose & The CC Strummers will open the program on Sunday morning, Aug. 30, with the sounds of ukulele music. O’ahu will then perform Hawaiian music at 11:45 a.m., followed by the Ho’Aloha Polynesian Dancers.  Sunday afternoon will feature Conjunto Los Pochos performing Mexican Conjunto music at 1:30 p.m., followed by Grupo Folklorico Tzintzuni entertaining the crowd with folk dances of the Americas.

Igor and Red Elvises’ performance at 3:15 p.m. will feature Siberian surf music followed by Bulgarian folk dances performed by Xorotroptzi.  Louie Cruz Beltran Ensemble closes the entertainment program on Sunday with an hour-long set of Latin jazz at 5 p.m.

Fiesta La Ballona began as a weeklong celebration of the region’s early settlers and has evolved into a three-day summer festival for all ages. Fiesta hours are 4:30 pm to 10 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 28; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 29; and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 30.

To learn more about Fiesta La Ballona or to sign up to be a volunteer, visit the website at www.fiestalaballona.org and find out more by liking the event on Facebook, following it on Twitter, or viewing it on YouTube and Instagram.