US (Washington Insider Magazine) – Traditional Lower East Side community event celebrates 36th anniversary with music, art and food
The annual Loisaida Festival will once again take to the streets of the Lower East Side this Sunday, May 28, with its customary mix of music, art and food.
One of the oldest Latino non-profit organizations on the Lower East Side, Loisaida, Inc., in partnership with Acacia Network, is hosting the 36th Annual Loisaida Festival along the Avenida C Cultural Corridor ( Loisaida Avenue), between 5th and 12th streets.
The event will begin at 11:30 a.m. m. with the traditional Community Parade with local organizations, schools, artists, community leaders, residents and families, led by the Afro-Brazilian samba reggae band Batalá New York.
Performances on the main stage will begin at 1:00 p.m. with power rock trio Cecilia Villar Eljuri, an acclaimed multi-instrumentalist whose hypnotic melodies are influenced by the cultures and countries in which she grew up, including Spain, Lebanon, Ecuador, and the United States.
Other headlining acts on stage include Kinto Zonó, an 11-piece ensemble that blends the sounds of Puerto Rico with a modern twist and a New York style of playing bomba and plena; Lower East Salsa, which pays tribute to Salsa Legends while bringing a fresh new sound; and NaboriNyah, a young MC, producer and artist from Puerto Rico who will get the crowd moving with his mix of urban music and reggaeton. The master of ceremony will be the poet, actor and musician David “DASO” Soto, backed by local DJ and photographer Andre “Redstar” Cirilo.
“The Loisaida Festival embodies the spirit and flavors of the Lower East Side and the diverse ethnic communities that have called it home for many decades, highlighted through a rich and colorful tapestry of artistic initiatives and creative place maintenance,” says Alejandro Epifanio. Torres, executive and artistic director of Loisaida, Inc. Center.
Attendees will also be able to enjoy a “mini festival” of short performances at the Theater Laboratory, hosted by critically acclaimed Puerto Rican actor, singer, writer and director Renoly Santiago, and co-hosted by the Puerto Rican theater company Teatro Yerbabruja. The Theater Laboratory will be located on the southwest corner of Avenue C and 9th Street within the La Plaza Cultural de Armando Pérez Community Garden.
Meanwhile, across Calle 9 on the northeast corner, 9C Community Garden will welcome attendees for a performance of typical music from Conjunto Los Fascinantes and will function as a chill-out area and chill-out station for seniors.
The Loisaida Festival will also feature a wide range of food vendors, traditional crafts and other activations on every block, including the historic Casa Adela Rumba; an original art painting exhibition by Charlie Rosario at La Sala de Pepe gallery; domino tables to play for free in the open air; a fully staffed Bike Valet for bicyclists from Transportation Alternatives; a friendly game of basketball Kids vs. LES Sports Academy and PSA-4 Cops 3-on-3; a community wall painting honoring Jean-Michel Basquiat organized by the Thrive Collective; a partnership with the Listening Lab that focuses on youth-led environmental justice + journalism, among many other attractions.
This article is originally published on eldiariony.com