The city’s largest annual community event, Fiesta La Ballona, has in store a full weekend of live entertainment, carnival rides, food trucks and more. The celebration is scheduled for Aug. 24-26 at Veterans Park, 4117 Overland Ave., Culver City.
The line-up of musical talents throughout Saturday and Sunday will include a wide range of styles and genres of continuous performances, concluding with Xoro Tropsi, a Bulgarian Heritage Dance at 6:15 p.m.
Admission to Fiesta La Ballona is free and includes musical entertainment. Friday’s events will start things off with a happy hour at 4:30 p.m. featuring the Tom Nolan Band and an opening ceremony at 6 p.m. Entertainment on the first evening will include Culver City’s own teen bands affectionately called Fiesta-Palooza at 6:30 p.m.
The line-up of musical entertainment throughout Saturday and Sunday will include a wide range of styles and genres of continuous performances, concluding with Xoro Tropsi, a Bulgarian Heritage Dance at 6:15 p.m. *See the end of the article for the complete schedule of performers.
Fiesta La Ballona’s origins date back to 1951 with a week-long celebration called Fiesta La Ballona Days. The festivities came complete with a Fiesta queen and her court, floats, and a marching band. “Their purpose was to celebrate the Spanish ‘first families’ from the time of New Spain, Mexico” according to a Culver City Historical Society article from 2012.
For the younger children, there will be a petting zoo, pony rides, and games.
The cost of a ticket to enjoy a ride is $1 each and the average ride is 3-5 tickets. A discount will be given for the purchase of 20 or more tickets and cash is the only form of payment accepted. ATM machines will be on-site for your convenience. Unlimited rides can be had with the purchase of wristbands for $35.
Pre-purchased wristbands qualify for a $10 discount and can be purchased from today and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Culver City Registration Office, 4117 Overland Ave., Culver City.
Expect to see typical carnival favorites such as hand-dipped ice cream, corn dogs, funnel cakes, shaved ice, kettle corn, and lemonade. Along with these crowd pleasers, treats such as lobster rolls, Indonesian chicken satay, empanadas and Brazilian falafels are sure to temp some.
An Aquacade at the Culver Plunge on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. will feature rubber ducky races and arts and crafts. Swimming opportunities using innertubes will be on hand. A $1 fee will be charged to participate.
For the public’s convenience, free parking will be provided at the Veteran’s Memorial Complex and Sony Pictures Studios’ parking structure, located one-half block north of the Culver Boulevard and Overland Avenue intersection. Sony’s parking garage and the Culver City Teen Center’s parking lot are the drop-off and pick up zones. Angel City Derby Girls is sponsoring a bike valet for those riding their bikes to the Fiesta.
Sponsorships and volunteers are still being accepted. Prospective volunteers should call Culver City Parks and Recreation at 310-253-6722. Those interested in promoting their business by becoming a sponsor on any level are encouraged to call 310-253-6667.
The complete schedule of musical talents is as follows:
FRIDAY, AUG. 24
4:30 p.m. Happy Hour at Fiesta – Tom Nolan Band – Rock ‘n Soul
6 p.m. Opening Ceremony
6:30 p.m. Fiesta-Palooza (Culver City Teen Bands)
Late Ship – Rock/Prog Rock (6:30 p.m.)
Vision – Rap/Hip Hop (7:05 p.m.)
Point Antagonist – Indie (7:40)
Mediocre – Alternative Rock (8:15 p.m.)
Leaving London – Rock/Pop (8:50 p.m.)
SATURDAY, AUG. 25
Noon. Jazzy Ash & the Leaping Lizards (Family Fun Time – New Orleans Jazz)
1 p.m. Swing Dance Posse
1:45 p.m. Ramblin Man (Allman Brothers Tribute)
2:45 p.m. Grupo Folklorico La Rosa (Mexican Heritage Dance)
3:30 p.m. Gregg Young & the 2nd Street Band (70s/80s Dance)
4:30 p.m. Ho’Aloha Polynesian Dancers (Polynesian Heritage Dance)
5:15 p.m. Allensworth (Soul, Blues, Rock)
6:15 p.m. Ballet Folklorico Flor De Mayo (Mexican Heritage Dance)
7 p.m. Saturday Night Dance Party – Crimes of Passion/Heart (Pat Benatar/Heart Tribute)
SUNDAY, AUG. 26
11 a.m. Cali Rose and the CC Strummers (Ukelele)
11:45 a.m. Rhythm Child (Family Fun Time – Music & Drumming)
1:30 p.m. Conjunto Jardin (Son Jaracho of Veracruz, Mexico)
2:30 p.m. Shingari School of Rhythm (Bollywood Dance)
3:15 p.m. Irie (Reggae)
4:15 p.m. Grupo Folklorico Macias (Mexican Heritage Dance)
5 p.m. Louie Cruz-Beltran (Latin Jazz/Afro-Cuban)
6:15 p.m. Xoro Tropsi (Bulgarian Heritage Dance)
Additional information can be obtained by contacting 310-253-6650 or visiting www.culvercity.org.