San Diego’s most culturally diverse community is once again hosting one of the city’s premier cultural celebrations – the Market Creek Plaza Arts & Culture Fest – on Saturday, October 16, from 12 to 6 p.m. The event takes place at Market Creek Plaza, 310 Euclid Ave., just south of the Market Street and Euclid Avenue intersection in southeastern San Diego.
The annual Arts & Culture Fest draws thousands each year to immerse themselves and their senses in live cultural music and dance performances, an international market with gift items and world cuisine, hands-on workshops, art contests, a kids zone, and a newly added cooking competition.
Three stages of live music and dance light up with sights and sounds from around the world — Brazilian drummers, Persian and Filipino dancers, and the mellow sounds of reggae, just to name a few. Local fan favorites will also join the day, including Atomic Groove, Remembrance, and Stateside Islander Crew. Young local performers have a stage of their own, featuring the San Diego Children’s Choir, Porter Elementary Drum Corp, and Sweet Rush – the first Somali artists to sign a major American record deal.
Local cultural groups and three of San Diego’s renowned museums (the San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego Museum of Man, and Mengei International Museum) are hosting hands on activity workshops. Attendees can participate in number of workshops, including a being part of a drum circle, learning about community gardens, or creating Native American Dreamcatchers. There will also be live artist demonstrations that range from aerosol art to clay sculpture and muralism to traditional weaving.
The event also includes a special exhibit of Norman Baynard photographs from the San Diego History Center. Baynard was a Logan Heights resident who took thousands of photos of San Diego’s African American community from the 1940’s to the 1980’s. Community residents and JCNI are partnering with the San Diego History Center to identify individuals in the photos and create a community history project.
The International Market will include a host of gift items, cultural wares, and international cuisine. A special beer and wine tasting exhibit, called “Toast for the Cure!,” will raise funds to support the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
What makes the Arts & Culture Fest special is that it is planned and hosted by a diverse team of cultural groups and community residents, creating a meaningful and authentic presentation of each cultural group. The event is sponsored by the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation, a neighborhood strengthening foundation partnering with residents in the Diamond Neighborhoods to create sustainable community change.