Sixteen months after the Eaton Fire burned its storefront to the ground, the Altadena cultural center that once filled North Lake Avenue with the sound of djembe drums is still gathering its community — just at a different address.
Village Spring Fest, the annual celebration produced by Rhythms of the Village and Los Angeles nonprofit LA Commons, returns to John Muir High School on Saturday, May 16, from 1 to 7 p.m. The festival, which organizers describe as a tradition of more than a decade, is in its second year at the Pasadena Unified School District campus after the January 2025 fire destroyed the Chukwurah family’s shop and cultural space at North Lake Avenue in Altadena.
John Muir High School, at 1905 N. Lincoln Ave., has become the festival’s home base — the site hosted both the 2025 Village Spring Festival and the Village Fall Festival in November of that year. Last year’s spring edition at the campus drew more than 1,500 attendees and 50-plus vendors, according to the community outlet Made in Dena.
Rhythms of the Village was founded in 2013 by Onochie “Baba” Chukwurah, a Nigerian-born musician who came to the United States in 1969 as a bass player for the legendary Afrobeat artist Fela Kuti. An artist, storyteller, and instructor who teaches African language and history at California State University, Los Angeles, the elder Chukwurah calls North Pasadena and Altadena home, according to PBS SoCal. Together with his son Emeka, he built the Lake Avenue space into a hub for African art, music, drum circle workshops, and community festivals. The organization’s stated mission is “to preserve and share African heritage through community, creativity, and education,” according to its website.
“The drum is a symbol of the heart beating,” Emeka Chukwurah told PBS SoCal after the fire. “People would hear those drums it would give them a sense of the pulse of Altadena, that we were alive and well.”
The Eaton Fire destroyed more than 9,000 structures across Altadena and parts of Pasadena. Rhythms of the Village’s storefront, along with neighboring Altadena Pizza Company and Oh Happy Days, was among the losses. Since then, the Chukwurah family has continued its cultural work through mobile events, partnerships, and temporary locations. The organization appeared on The Jennifer Hudson Show in January 2025 and was featured at the 2025 Grammy Awards, according to the group’s website. Emeka Chukwurah has raised more than $100,000 through GoFundMe toward rebuilding, PBS NewsHour reported.
This year’s Village Spring Fest will feature live performances, food, and vendors across categories including health and wellness, crafts, and local art. Among the vendors listed on the event flyer are Gya Organics, which describes itself as an “afro-indigenous womxn owned” natural hair and skin care line, according to the company’s website; Mayana’s Body Butters; and Sheva Shea. The entertainment lineup has not yet been announced; the organization’s Instagram account states it is “coming soon.”
LA Commons, the festival’s co-producing partner, is a nonprofit arts and culture organization founded by Karen Mack. Based in Leimert Park, LA Commons has been developing community-based public art projects and cultural programming across Los Angeles County since 2003, according to the LA County Department of Arts and Culture. The organization recently celebrated its 25th anniversary.
In February, Kidspace Children’s Museum in Pasadena hosted Rhythms of the Village for a Black History Month program of live drumming, dance, and storytelling rooted in African folklore. Kidspace described the group as “Altadena’s own Rhythms of the Village.”
“When the Altadena fires struck in 2025, our building was lost, but not our rhythm,” the organization states on its website. “The community rallied, and together we continue to rebuild through festivals, workshops, and events that remind us who we are.”
Village Spring Fest takes place Saturday, May 16, from 1 to 7 p.m. at John Muir High School, 1905 N. Lincoln Ave., Pasadena. Information on admission, parking, and the entertainment lineup had not been posted as of press time. Updates are available through the organization’s Instagram account, @1rhythmsofthevillage, and its website, rhythmsofthevillage.com.
The drums are still beating. They just carry a little farther now.
