Grand Park's 2017 Summer Season to Offer Free Shows Under the Sun & Stars
By: BWW News Desk Mar. 14, 2017
The Music Center today announced Grand Park's summer season with free programming that celebrates the park's fifth anniversary and encourages Angelenos to leave the rain behind and get outdoors to celebrate the warm weather. With new events and returning favorites, summertime in Grand Park offers something for everyone.
Highlights of the season include The Music Center's Dance DTLA,* featuring Dance Downtown and specially curated DJ Nights; the continuation of Grand Park's PROUD series with Grand Park + Outfest Present PROUD Movie Night; Grand Park's Sunday Sessions, Grand Park + I3 Art Fest present Interaction Park, and the fifth annual Grand Park + The Music Center's Fourth of July Block Party.
"With events as diverse as the people who live in Los Angeles, there is no better place to enjoy a Southern California summer than at Grand Park," said Rachel Moore, president and CEO, The Music Center. "Grand Park is a place where everyone can gather for free entertainment, explore new cultures and go on a number of arts adventures. Angelenos will find many opportunities to meet their neighbors, make new friends, and create wonderful memories," she added.
Lucas Rivera, vice president of Grand Park, offered, "We are excited to bring back some of Grand Park's most beloved events and introduce new experiences to our audiences as we celebrate the park's fifth summer. We will mark the return of Los Angeles County's largest free Fourth of July celebration, Grand Park + The Music Center's Fourth of July Block Party, along with Grand Park's Bootcamp and Grand Park's Sunday Sessions. We will also join with local partners such as 13 Arts Fest for Grand Park + I3 Arts Fest presents Interaction Park, and with Jovenes, Inc., for the return of Grand Park + Jovenes Present L.A. Taco Fest. From music and dancing, to eating delectable food and experiencing the arts, Angelenos will find some of Southern California's best summer entertainment in the heart of the civic center in Grand Park," he explained.
The summer programming line-up includes:
Grand Park+ I3 Arts Fest Present Interaction Park
Friday, June 2, 2017 - Saturday, June 24, 2017
Hours to be Announced
Part of a three-location festival, Grand Park + I3 Arts Fest's Interaction Park will host large-scale interactive art installations, transforming Grand Park's Event Lawn into an urban art gallery. Works include: Through the Cattails by Aphidoidea, 40 coroplast hexagon abstract cattails that provide shade during the day and emit animated light by night; Anthropocene by 5Gyers - a response to plastic pollution and inspired by Da Vinci's Vituvian Man - the piece sends microbeads and light throughout the piece via attached stationary bicycles; Melting Rainbows by Aaron Axelrod, where the artist uses his face and various body parts to press up against a transparent plexiglass surface to create psychedelic drips and effects that are then live projected onto a theater screen; Jabba Barge by Adam Mostow, a large metal mutant vehicle fabricated and sculpted by David Haskell; Infinity Boxes by Matt Elson, an interactive social piece where participants' faces are turned into contemporary portraiture; and Mechan9 by Tyler Fuqua, a giant fallen robot that is 35-feet in diameter. Grand Park + I3 Arts Fest's Interaction Park will be held on the Event Lawn.
The Music Center's Dance DTLA*
Fridays: June 23 to September 1, 2017
Including Dance Downtown, 7:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m., and DJ Nights, 9:00 p.m. - midnight
A summer favorite now in its 13th year, The Music Center's Dance DTLA is an evening of dance under the stars on most Friday nights in the summer months, from June - September, 2017. Hosted this year entirely in Grand Park, the series features Dance Downtown (7:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.), every other Friday night, where participants can learn new dance moves in a judgment free zone with a different dance genre at each event. From Cumbia to Disco and Line Dancing, Dance Downtown welcomes anyone who loves to dance to learn some new moves in the heart of Los Angeles' civic center. The Music Center's Dance DTLA events will be held at various locations throughout Grand Park.
Held on alternating Friday nights and curated by influential artists and tastemakers who give voice to Los Angeles' dynamic and vibrant culture through music, dancing, arts and aesthetics, DJ Nights (9:00 p.m. - midnight) offers Angelenos the opportunity to dance the night away in Grand Park. Details for each night of the series will be announced in May, 2017.
Grand Park + The Music Center's Fourth of July Block Party
Tuesday, July 4, 2017
2:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Grand Park + The Music Center's Fourth of July Block Party returns with a wonderful way to celebrate America's independence. Featuring picnics, play, music, dancing and a new fireworks show, the event is jam-packed with ways that make Fourth of July the ultimate summer holiday celebration. The afternoon offers games and art making for all ages including soccer, tag, bubble fun and chalk art. Two musical stages with DJs throughout the day and live performances in the evening will entertain audiences with sounds from America featuring everything from 70s Funk and Soul, to a full-scale Pops orchestra. Fireworks begin at 8:30 p.m. from the roof of The Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and will be visible throughout downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods. The event offers a multitude of dining options from more than 30 vendors including the return of gourmet food trucks. Grand Park + The Music Center's Fourth of July Block Party will encompass all of the park, from Grand Avenue to Spring Street, plus the surrounding streets.
Grand Park + FLAX (France Los Angeles Exchange) Present "The Distance is Beautiful: La Distance la plus Courte Entre Deux Points N'est Pas une Ligne Droite", a Performance Co-Written by Lola Gonzàlez, Oguri and Paul Chavez
Grand Park teams up with FLAX (France Los Angeles Exchange) to present an international collaboration and dance performance by French video and performing artist Lola Gonzàlez and Los Angeles-based artists, choreographer Oguri and composer Paul Chavez. Inspired by the complex landscape of the city, this trailblazing performance entails a traveling processional, which tackles ideas of community, collaboration and the impact of urban living. Sixty performers, a mix of professionals and nonprofessionals, will set off from several distinct locations throughout Los Angeles. Echoing recent unrest in this country and the world, the groups will march through the corridors of Downtown to gather together at Grand Park for an epic performance, punctuated by individual actions and gestures as each participant acts out his role. The public is invited to join the journey. For the "call for participation" and to learn more, visit www.flaxfoundation.org. The Grand Park + FLAX event will take place in Grand Park between Grand Avenue and Hill Street.
Grand Park + Jovenes Present L.A. Taco Fest
Saturday, August 26, 2017
Noon - 8:00 p.m.
Benefitting the non-profit Jovenes, Inc., Grand Park + Jovenes Present L.A. Taco Fest welcomes more than 30 taco vendors from all around Los Angeles to Grand Park. Angelenos can enjoy the many varieties and flavors of tacos made throughout the county. DJs, games and art-making round out the day's festivities and make for a full and fun day in Grand Park. Grand Park + Jovenes Present L.A. Taco Fest will take place on the Grand Park Event Lawn.
Grand Park + Outfest Present PROUD Movie Night
Saturday, September 23, 2017
5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
The Music Center continues its series of intimate events that invite the Los Angeles LGBTQ and ally community to celebrate and connect with each other with Grand Park + Outfest Present PROUD Movie Night. Developed in collaboration with a coalition of partners and partner organizations to reflect the diverse interests and experiences of the LGBTQ Angeleno community, Grand Park partners with Outfest to present a picnic and screening in celebration of fresh and diverse voices in film. Filmmakers and actors will introduce the showcase of short films from the Outfest Fusion Festival and share insight about their craft. Guests can come early to enjoy a late summer afternoon in the park with the sights, sounds and tastes of the summer including DJs, food trucks and the park's popular splash pad and playground. The screening will be held on the Performance Lawn.
Outfest Fusion is an annual film festival celebrating queer communities of color. To learn more, visit www.outfest.org/about-outfest-fusion.
Returning Grand Park Favorites
Grand Park's Bootcamp
Tuesdays: June 6 - September 26
5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
All summer long, Grand Park visitors can explore the entire park and get a free workout at the same time at Grand Park's Bootcamp. Open to everyone and all fitness levels, this free series is a fun way to connect with others and make an end-of-day workout accessible and fun. Grand Park's Bootcampsessions are held on Grand Park's Event Lawn.
Grand Park's Sunday Sessions
Sundays: June 11, July 16, August 13, September 17, 2017
2:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Grand Park's Sunday Sessions celebrates Los Angeles' contributions to the global art form of dance music. As a vibrant music scene bursting with ingenuity, creativity and boundary-pushing music making, Los Angeles offers a particular blend of urban spaces, global cultures, enticing weather, collaborative spirit and open mindedness. This summer brings the best of Los Angeles' artists to the county's central gathering place with the opportunity for Angelenos to relive memories, honor the art makers and dance under the sun. Guests can purchase food from food trucks and cocktails from the bar, and enjoy the sounds of summer in a beautiful setting right in the middle of the city. SundaySessions will take place on the Performance Lawn.
For more information about free summer programming at Grand Park and The Music Center, visit grandparkla.org and musiccenter.org. Follow Grand Park on Facebook (GrandParkLosAngeles), as well as Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat (@GrandPark_LA). Follow The Music Center on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat (@MusicCenterLA).
A vibrant outdoor gathering place, Grand Park is a beautiful public park for the entire community in Los Angeles County. With expansive green space for gatherings large and small, Grand Park celebrates the county's cultural vitality and is host to community events, cultural experiences, holiday celebrations, and many other activities that engage and attract visitors from all communities. The 12-acre Grand Park stretches from The Music Center on the west to City Hall on the east and is easily accessible by Metro via the Red/Purple line to the Civic Center/Grand Park station. The park was named one of American Planning Association's 10 "Great Public Spaces" in the U.S. for 2013. Working closely with the county, The Music Center is responsible for all operations and programming for the park. For more information, visit grandparkla.org. Follow Grand Park on Facebook (GrandParkLosAngeles), as well as Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat (@GrandPark_LA).
As L.A.'s performing arts destination, The Music Center is L.A.'s home to the world's greatest artistic programs and events. With four iconic theaters and four renowned resident companies - Center Theatre Group, the LA Master Chorale, the LA Opera and the LA Philharmonic - and recognized for its illustrious dance programming, Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center, The Music Center is a destination where audiences find inspiration in the very best of live performance, as well as nationally recognized arts education and participatory arts experiences. The Music Center also programs and manages Grand Park, a 12-acre adjacent greenspace, with year-round free programming. For more information, visit musiccenter.org. Follow The Music Center on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat (@MusicCenterLA).
Photo courtesy of Grand Park/The Music Center
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