Free Festivals/Other Events in LA - August 2013

Los Angeles is all kinds of crazy with festivals this month!  Two different cultural parades and festivals back-to-back on the same day in downtown.  A bike tour of cultural arts in Santa Monica.   A parade featuring 40-foot chariots from India, also in Santa Monica.  A Japanese festival that spans two weekends.  It's going to be an interesting month for fun and culture! (Free Films, Performing Arts and Visual Arts Events all have their own posts this month; to see events in other categories, just scroll down to the end of this post and click on the relevant links.)

 8/4 (Sun): 37th Annual Festival of the Chariots (East Indian chariots parade and festival featuring three stages of live music and dance performances), 10am to 7pm, Santa Monica Civic Auditorium to Ocean Front Walk Plaza in Venice Beach, More info

Festival of the Chariots

Also, Dance Party in the Plaza at CAAM with live DJ, museum opens at 11am and party event runs from 1pm-5pm, California African American Museum in Exposition Park, $10 parking, More info

8/9 (Fri):  Tanabata Festival and Opening Ceremony of Nisei Week Japanese Festival, 5pm-8pm, Central Avenue at Geffen MOCA in Downtown LA, More info
 
8/10 (Sat):  Natsumatsuri Summer Family Festival (kid-friendly crafts, activities, cultural performances and demonstrations), 11am-5pm, Japanese American National Museum in Downtown LA, More info

8/10 -8/11 (Sat-Sun):  Nisei Week Japanese Festival Week One Exhibitions (various cultural and artistic exhibitions and demonstrations), 10am-5pm, Japanese American Cultural and Community Center in Downtown LA, More info
 
8/11 (Sun):  Ecuadorian Festival and Parade, 12pm-6pm, La Placita Olvera in Downtown LA, More info

Nisei Week Japanese Festival Grand Parade

Also,  Nisei Week Japanese Festival Grand Parade, 4pm-9pm, streets of Little Tokyo in Downtown LA, More info

8/18  (Sun):  Tour da Arts Festival, Vol. 5 (arts and cycling festival plus cultural bike tour), 11am-5pm, Santa Monica Museum of Art in Santa Monica, participation is free and open to all ages however space is limited and registration is required, More info

Also, Nisei Week Japanese Plaza Festival, 9am-5pm, Japanese American Cultural and Community Center in Downtown LA, More info

Also, Closing Ceremonies of Japanese Festival with Ondo Dance Performances, 1st Street between Central Ave. and San Pedro in Downtown LA, 4pm-7pm, More info

For more Free L.A. Events in August, 

click on the links below:

Film and Cinema Events
Performing Arts Events

Visual and Graphic Arts Events