Bloomfest postponed; music and arts festival in downtown Arts District might return in the fall

0

bloomfest2012-theneighbourhood3

The downtown Los Angeles Arts District gained one festival in 2013 when the Jubilee Music & Arts Festival decide to relocate from Silver Lake, but it has lost another, at least temporarily.

Bloomfest, the music, arts and street fair that for the past two years has brought live rock to the streets of the Arts District, will not happen this summer, according to a report from the Los Angeles River Artists and Business Association (LARABA). The event might return in the fall, but probably not as a street festival.

Event producers Edgar Varela and Melissa Richardson Banks cited an increase in ongoing projects for current downtown businesses, the impact of construction in the area and the high cost of mounting a free festival on L.A. streets as reasons for Bloomfest’s being shelved. “For the past two years, we were in a position to donate our expertise and services that resulted in BloomfestLA becoming such a resounding success,” they said in a statement. “Unfortunately, with heavy hearts, we came to realize that it was not the case for 2013.”

According to today’s press release, LARABA’s plans include rescheduling BloomfestLA to the fall (possibly Oct. 16), but “decentralizing the large community festival into a series of smaller music events hosted by local businesses.”

“We are so very grateful to the Arts District community, local business owners, artists, residents, volunteers, vendors, performers, sponsors, event staff and suppliers, media representatives, and countless others for supporting our work to help showcase our beloved neighborhood,” the producers said. “We look forward to helping out in the future as we are able and to perhaps identify other ways in which we might work together.”

Last year’s event featured main-stage performances by Superhumanoids, the Neighbourhood, NO and others.