• This event has passed.

2023 Annual Watts Towers Drum and Jazz Festivals

Date
September 30, 2023
Time
10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Cost
Free
Organizer’s Site
https://www.wattstowers.org/
Council District
City Council District 15
Event Series Dates
Saturday, September 30, 2023, and Sunday, October 1, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Immerse yourself in jazz melodies and world rhythms at the annual Watts Towers Day of the Drum Festival on September 30, and Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Festival on October 1, 2023. These all-day events are free to attend. Enjoy a weekend featuring over a dozen performances in dance, music, and percussion, exhibitions, children’s activities, local cuisine, and good times, all taking place against the backdrop of the world-renowned Watts Towers by Simon Rodia, now celebrating its 102 anniversary. For more information visit wattstowers.org.

41st Annual Watts Towers Day of the Drum Festival

Saturday, September 30, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Xochipilli
Aztec traditional dancing with Huehuetl and Teponaxtle drums

Korean Classical Music and Dance Company
Traditional Korean drum and dance

SHINE Mawusi
An alliance of women practicing, nurturing, and empowering our community

Garifuna Cultural Group
Garifuna world cultural experience

Gimme A Beat
Just rhythms and rhymes featuring Tony Austin (drums), Mic Holden (percussion and MC), Kahlil Cummings (percussions), Brian Collier (drums)

Magatte Fall featuring LaVoix
A drum and dance group representing Senegal, Mali, Ivory Coast, Guinea, and Gambia. The Manding Empire, one big family even after the colonizers separated us

46th Annual Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Festival

Sunday, October 1, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Alaadun
Yoruba ground blessing uniting all cultures based on common themes and principles

Melvin Lee Davis and Friends featuring Derek Bordeaux, Kevin Flournoy, and Jeffery B. Suttles
Gospel Jazz

Food4Thought, Queen Socks, and Love
Spoken Word

Ray Bailey and Friends
Traditional blues

Dee Dee McNeil
Spoken word

The World Stage Big Band
Continuing the legacy of all the great master musicians, composers, and arrangers in black music, that can be loved, enjoyed, and appreciated by all cultures.

Kamau Daáood
Spoken word

JMP Allstars featuring Patrice Rushen, Munyungo Jackson, Bobby Rodriguez, and Reggie Hamilton
Straight-ahead jazz

     

Location

Watts Towers Arts Center Campus
1727 E. 107th St
Watts, CA 90002 United States + Google Map
Phone:
213.847.4646,
Website:
View Venue Website

Organizer

Friends of Watts Towers Arts Center

Upcoming Events

April 4 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Luckman Fine Arts Complex, 5151 State University Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90032 United States
Free RSVP Tickets

Rise: A Dance Event

LA County High School of the Arts (LACHSA) Dance Department collaborates with TeenTixLA  to invites students, teachers, families, and dance aficionados to join us at Rise: A Dance Event. It is a behind-the-scenes sneak peak to watch talented students practice their craft as they prepare for the BIGGEST dance show of the year! It includes genres of dance such as ballet, hip-hop, jazz, contemporary, African, and more! Our excerpted program is designed to share with students the potential and power…

April 4 @ 6:00 pm
Lankershim Arts Center, 5108 Lankershim Boulevard
North Hollywood, CA 90601 United States
Free

Friday Night Family Flicks at Lankershim Arts Center

Friday Night Family Flicks at 6:00 p.m. provides free popcorn and movies in our 44 seat micro cinema featuring classic favorites like the Wizard of Oz, Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, The Princess Bride, Hook, Speed Racer, and Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse.

April 4 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
San Fernando High School, 11133 O'Melveny Avenue
San Fernando, CA 91340 United States
Free

DEVISE FEST: San Fernando High School

DEVISE FEST is the presentation of two original short plays, written and performed by the students of San Fernando High School as part of The Unusual Suspects’ flagship Youth Theatre Conservatory. Students will share a public performance of their shows, Different Angle and The Secret of a Wolf, on Friday, April 4, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.  at the Cesar Chavez Auditorium at San Fernando High School. This free, in-person event will be followed by a moderated discussion with the student…

April 4 @ 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Lankershim Arts Center, 5108 Lankershim Boulevard
North Hollywood, CA 90601 United States
Free

Sing It, Bring It: Family Karaoke Night at Lankershim Arts Center

Sing It, Bring It: Family Karaoke Night on Fridays from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. is where everyone can unleash their inner rockstar! Grab the mic, belt out your favorite tunes, and get ready for some serious family fun. Whether you’re a pop diva, a country crooner, or a rock ‘n’ roll rebel, this is your chance to shine! Expect laughs, applause, and maybe a little bit of friendly competition. It’s not just about singing—it’s about bringing your best performance…

April 5
Fowler Museum at UCLA, W. Sunset Blvd. and Westwood Plaza,
Los Angeles, CA United States
Free

Descanse en Paz: Memorial Paintings from 19th-Century Mexico

This exhibition highlights two popular genres of 19th-century Mexican painting commemorating family members who no longer reside in the household— offering them a lasting presence in the home. The first intimately portrays deceased individuals in likenesses imbued with grief and tender remembrance. The second genre is the uniquely Mexican monja Coronado or “crowned nun” portrait. Images of flowers adorned Brides of Christ were commissioned by the families of women who took Catholic ecclesiastical vows and permanently embarked on cloistered lives.

View All Events

Be in the Loop!

Receive notes about art, culture, and creativity in LA!

By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
BESbswy