A Community Comes Together

If you're ever in Los Angeles during August, you may get lucky and have a chance to experience the Sunset Junction festival. Held where Sunset and Santa Monica Boulevards converge in Silverlake, this street party shows just how well a community can come together in celebration as it exposes its denizens to the diversity of their neighbors, teaching tolerance and a feeling of community. Where else can you find tattooed and pierced skin-heads, Latino immigrant families with young children, hardcore gay leather "daddies", elderly retirees, "cholo" gang members, and liberal entertainment industry yuppies peacefully coexisting in the same area, much less all coming together to throw a party? Most street fairs combining loud music, alcohol, and this type of diversity of celebrants would quickly get out of hand. But at the Sunset Junction street festival, everyone seems to get along and enjoy the diversity the community offers.

There are dance areas with live DJ's, and bandstands showcasing everything from young local alternative rock bands to traditional "ethnic music" from one of the many different ethnic groups represented. There's a carnival area complete with rides and games, a huge array of booths showcasing arts, crafts, and clothing, and of course almost every kind of food imaginable. The rides are small and simple carnival types, like something out of an giant Erector set; the games are the usual boardwalk sort--you know, ring a coke bottle, win a cheesy stuffed animal. It's a strange mix of the Venice Beach boardwalk combined with a county fair. Shop for religious icons, tattoos, incense, shoes, antique furniture, or even condoms or a kinky marital aid.Maybe a little low-brow, but lighten up and have fun!

One thing is for certain: it is fun! And although popular theory asserts that Los Angelenos aren't friendly, that's certainly not the case at the Sunset Junction Festival. In fact after bumping into someone and spilling a little beer on them, your apology will generally get you a smile and a "don't worry about it." Head over to the dance area and let loose. But be aware the dance music is mostly house or trance. We are not talking swing dancing or be-bop. The dance floors are for the young or at least the young at heart. Is it for you?

Those amongst you past the boogie woogie stage will most likely find the shopping an exciting experience. There are a number of cool antique and thrift shops featuring everything from clothing to furniture. And as for shopping at the booths, that is where you'll find all the things you never knew you needed (and probably don't). But there are things you can find here that you probably wouldn't normally know where to look for--if you even thought of them. Even if you're not in a buying mood, it's a fantastic "recreational shopping" experience.

One of the highlights of a fair like this is the food. Dieters beware: this is not a health food convention! Everything is sinfully rich and delicious. Ethnic food of all sorts is scattered throughout the shopping area. My best friend always wants to try a little of every single offering. This only works if you nibble or binge-and-purge.

The fair started out as a free event but has letterly begun requesting a donation of $5.00 per person. The prices in the booths and stores are for the most part reasonable, so unless you're one of those people involved in an aggressive breeding program, the fair probably won't bankrupt you. You don't have to buy anything or ride any of rides. The music and the comedy are all free, and so is the people watching. Trust me when I say this is one interesting crowd! Out of the ordinary is the norm for this group…and that's what makes the crowd so flavorful. This is diversity at its best--or as far as good taste is concerned, maybe at its worst. But that of course depends on your point of view.

The best way to sum it up is to say it is a unique and fun experience that everyone should try at least once. And my bet is that it will be more than just once.

Text and Photograph by Ron Hobbs