Venezuelan drum band
Festivals around LA / Los Angeles

The 35th Watts Drum Festival was a multi-cultural experience

by carollightwood
Simon rodia mural in watts
Simon Rodia spent 33 years creating the towers in his back yard. I wonder what he would think of this mural of his face? Another portrait shows him as a working man in blue coveralls.  In it his face is thinner and he looks very European, specifically Italian.

The Watts Towers have been on my list of places to visit and then last week I noticed that there was a drum festival going to be held at the Towers.  It was a perfect combination and I ended up with too many photos for one post.  So here is the 35th Annual Watts Towers Day of the Drum.  (I will post photos and more information about the Rodia Towers tomorrow. You will be surprised…so tune in!)

Now the Day of the Drum in photos.

korean classical music and dance company
I heard the sounds of the Korean Classical Music and Dance company from two blocks away when I disembarked from the Blue Line.
amazigh drum group
The Moroccan music by a pair of drummers who call themselves Amazigh 6/8 was wonderful! I really love North African music.
afro-cenezuelan group
This Afro-Venezuelan group laughingly said they were performing for the first time in L.A. because there now were enough Venezuelans for a band. The political situation in Venezuela apparently has driven some people into exile. The band was fun and they explained each of the many drums they used. In this photo they are playing trunks of bamboo.
shopping bags at drum festival
As with all local open-air festivals, there was a food court and a group of vendors, including this one selling shopping bags.
dancing at the drum festival
What would a music festival be without dancers from the audience? The old Asian-looking man started dancing and soon others joined in.

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