Lummis Day Honors Nearby Community

Ten years ago, nearby neighbor Highland Park was in the midst of not only rediscovering its artistic wings, but embroiled in the growing pains of forming new neighborhood councils. Universal Studios Publicity VP and local resident Elliot Sekuler had an idea for a festival that would not only unite a community, but celebrate the wide range of music and arts developed by local artists and musicians.

Some emails were sent out. People met. They kept meeting. Musicians, artists and poets were contacted. Venues were arranged. Lummis Day: The Festival of Northeast Los Angeles, was born.

Local artists Severin Browne, and Ann Likes Red, who both would go on to play several more Lummis Days, were among the first show’s lineup, on a day when the temperatures pushed 100 degrees, and people sought relief under nearby trees, not in the seats directly in front. Lesson learned. The event grew in size, highlighted by a 2008 show, in which Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and local boy done good Jackson Browne headlined the show.

Lummis Day relocated for several years to Heritage Square, increasing the number of stages and nailing down the process of staging a yearly show for a crowd that grew exponentially each year.

The festival is now a three-day event, spread over three locations in Boyle Heights, Highland Park, with the main event returning to the historic Hiner Bandshell at Sycamore Grove Park.  It begins Friday, June 5 at Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights.

Lummis Day has also always been about much more than music. Each festival features poetry readings featuring a wide range of local poets, giving a showcase to an often under-appreciated. This year’s poetry events drew appreciative crowds to both the Arroyo Seco and Eagle Rock Libraries.

The Lummis Day event takes its name from Charles Fletcher Lummis, who walked 3,500 miles from Ohio to Los Angeles as a newspaper stunt in 1885.  He became the first City Editor of the Los Angeles Times, founded the Southwest Museum – the first museum in Los Angeles – preserved the Old Spanish Missions of Southern California, published a literary magazine, Land Of Sunshine/Out West, and was an advisor to President Theodore Roosevelt.

Lummis also  hand built El Alisal, aka Lummis Home, one of Northeast L.A.’s most cherished cultural monuments, using stones from the banks of the nearby LA River. It was there at El Alisal where he hosted a seminal art salon among the great and notable writers, thinkers and artists in the area. It was that salon idea that helped define the idea of  a place that celebrated  multi-culturalism, as the festival does today.

The Mariachi Plaza event this Friday features rock and roll from the band Suspect, poetry from Luis J. Rodriguez and Jessica Fichot, a live theater presentation from Casa 0101 Theater, dance from the Diavalo Institute Performance Company, and mariachi (of course!) from Mariachi Tierra Mexicana de Oscar Chavez.

Saturday  features two events: the new exhibit, “Back to the Roots: A Tribute to Richard Duardo” featuring a formal tribute from Wayne Healy and Abel Salas, along with a themed poetry event hosted by Linda Kaye, accompanied by a host of local musicians, at the Southwest Museum.

Northeast LA’s newest park, York Park at Avenue 50, will also host music from Mariachi Tradicion de Fernando Rios, the Elliot Caine Quintet, and the Pacific Opera project Saturday. There is also dance from the Celtic Ceili step dancer Aedan McDonnell. Psych-pop from Gothic Tropic will fill out the bill.

Sunday at Lummis Home and Sycamore Grove Park caps off the weekend’s events. The day begins with poetry at the Lummis Home at 10:20 with a Native American blessing from Ted Garcia, and music from Mason Summit, followed by poetry by Suzanne Lummis, Jim Natal, and William Archila. A reception and crafts exhibits commence at noon.

There is also continuous music by Dave Porter and Hector Sanchez beginning at noon.

SYCAMORE GROVE PARK, SUNDAY, JUNE 7, 12 NOON – 7 PM

STAGE ONE
* 12:30        Ted Garcia, Native American Blessing
* 1:00          Chickwood
* 2:05         Stand Easy
* 3:25         Trio Ellas
* 4:40         Susie Hansen Latin Band
* 6:10          Buyepongo

STAGE TWO
* 1:40         Sirenesque
* 2:50         Louise Reichlin & Dancers/ Los Angeles Choreographers & Dancers
* 4:05         Futuro/The Jr. Dance Company ofCONTRA-TIEMPO
* 5:35        Ballet Coco

STAGE THREE
* 1:00        The Slightlys
* 1:50         Hobart W. Fink
* 2:50        Salt Petal
* 3:55        Cuñao

* 5:00        Evangenitals
STAGE 4 – EMERGING TALENT
* 1:00         Franklin Students
* 1:45         The Amps
* 2:45        The Arte Flamenco Dance Theatre: Flamenco and Hip-Hop
* 3:45        The G.A. Squad  (Grand Arts Squad)
* 4:45        57 Bossa

PUPPETS AND PLAYERS / BUGS AND BALLOONS STAGE

* 1:15          Puppets &  Players / Bugs & Balloons
* 1:55         We Tell Stories
* 2:50        Puppets & Players Little Theatre
* 3:30         Earthworm Ensemble
* 4:25         Kate the Balloon Girl
4:40         Puppets & Players Little Theatre

FAMILY AREA 
Continuous:    Avenue 50 Studios Papel Picado
The Franklin Robotics Team
Tongva crafts with Julia Bogany, Tribal Elder, San Gabrielino Band of Mission Indians
Home Depot/Color Spot
Eco Voices with The Urban Science Corps
It’s gonna be a busy weekend. Start planning now.