Photos of 2023
LAUNCH Luncheon at LACMA
20th Annual TARFEST at Pan Pacific Park
Saturday, June 10, 2023 | 2pm - 7pm
“TARFEST has been part of the LA community for twenty years, remaining an annual free event through massive changes that have transformed the city,” says LAUNCH LA founder James Panozzo. “This festival is about holding a mirror to our large, diverse community, by honoring what’s best about our city and its institutions in the Creative Core of Los Angeles.”
LIVE MUSIC curated by Raghav Desai of Minty Boi Presents, with host Jamel Johnson, featured performances by The Steens and Marinero alongside headliner NIIA. The K-pop music project Lalary presented by the Korean Cultural Center. MISTER PYSCHEDELIA provided live sound production for TARFEST 2023.
ART INSTALLATIONS addressing relevant local and national issues with beauty, dignity and hope included Be Happy by Dani Dodge, Bearing Witness by Pam Douglas, Bionic Eden by Snezana Petrovic, and a large-scale interactive drawing wall, led by local artist groups TAG Gallery and the Southern California Women’s Caucus for the Arts, sponsored by Blick Art Materials.
The 21+ Crowd enjoyed the CLARK Construction Biergarten & Cocktail Lounge featuring selections from Angel City Brewing Company and a specialty cocktail from Tito’s Handmade Vodka. A selection of Los Angeles’ hottest gourmet food trucks included Baby’s Badass Burgers, Rice Balls of Fire, The Deli Doctor, LA Street EatZ and Scooter’s Italian Ice.
Free Family Art-Making and Cultural Activities with Japan Foundation Los Angeles, The Korean Cultural Center, The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Gloria Molina Grand Park, METRO, reDiscover Center, the Tar Pits Museum and the Holocaust Museum, LA. Television City Studios Kids Creativity Lab offered face painters, balloon artists and other surprises. Intergenerational hip-hop and breakdancing collective Justice by Uniting in Creative Energy (JUiCE) conducted dance workshops as well. Petersen Automotive Museum and WAYMO provided state of the art vehicles and activities to complete the celebration.
TARFEST 2023 supporters include the City of Los Angeles, Department of Cultural Affairs, The Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture, Los Angeles City Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky, CD 5, the California Arts Council, The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles, and more. Tax Deductible contributions supporting LAUNCH LA’s free cultural events can be made at: https://gofund.me/3fe080ea
About TARFEST & LAUNCH LA TARFEST and LAUNCH LA provide important performance and exhibition opportunities to some of the region’s finest emerging artists, performers, and cultural innovators on the historic Miracle Mile of Los Angeles and beyond. LAUNCH LA is a 501(3)(c) not-for-profit social enterprise that believes exposure to the arts enhances quality of life and strengthens community. Passionate about promoting all contemporary art forms and their hybrids, LAUNCH LA recognizes the need for exemplary productions that create important cultural happenings with the assistance of commercial partners, cultural institutions and like-minded individuals and organizations.
Photos shot & edited by Bryan "Birdman" Mier https://www.birdmanphotos.com/