If you are fortunate enough to live in So. California you can celebrate Labor Day all weekend long. For example, some of the events are in Orange, Los Angeles, Pomona, Wilmington, Hermosa Beach, San Gabriel, and Long Beach, which has 2 activities, plus the Queen Mary events. You can pile the family in the car and find music, parades, many different kinds of food, exhibits, dancing, concerts and more. You can choose from a variety of affairs and go to one or two each day of the weekend and most are free or at very little cost. The biggest bargain I found is the Los Angeles County Fair in Pomona. At $10 per adult, kids 11 and under free, it's an all day party.
The Los Angeles County Fair begins on Labor Day weekend and continues to Oct. 4. Plan to visit the livestock, gardening and crafts displays, as well as enjoying live music, concerts, spectacles and rides. There's something for everyone, such as the livestock shows, cow and goat milking, animal petting at Fairfiew Farms which the kids will enjoy and the horse shows, horse racing, off-track betting and a Horse Racing Exhibit including racing seminars and wagering instruction for the grownups.
You can improve your wine expertise with a visit to the Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition, or watch cooking, wine-making, arts and crafts demonstrations and workshops. The Exhibit Halls are filled with interesting items you won't see anywhere else.
For the kids there are children's educational exhibits, carnival rides, street performers and even pig races. The California Heritage Square presents living history demonstrations.
The fair is at the Fairplex in Pomona, 1101 W. McKinley Ave, Pomona, CA 91768, off the 10 Freeway, exit Fairplex Drive or White Ave. Cost is Presale $10 adult, $6 child through 8/31, $17/$12 at the gate. Season pass $24.
Here are some other interesting events in So. California:
Old town Orange will present a craft fair within 4 blocks around the traffic circle. Each street is converted into a different world country exhibit with music, food and entertainment, all but the food is free. They will have an Irish Stage, Greek Stage, German Stage, Mexican Stage, Polynesian Stage, English Stage, an all American Stage and a Children's Stage. It opens Labor Day Weekend, Fri-Sun 5-10pm, Sat-Sun 10am - 10pm, Plaza Square, Chapman and Glassel, Orange. Imagine sampling food from 7 different countries all in one place.
If you enjoy Greek food and Greek dancing, be sure to attend the Long Beach Greek Festival held at the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church, 5761 E. Colorado St., Long Beach, 90814 on Labor Day Weekend, Sat-Mon, noon-9pm. There will be live music by the Olympians, exhibit dancing and social dancing, Greek food, product booths and children's games. Don't miss this. Cost is only $3, children 11 and under are free. If you need more information, (562-494-8029) or www.lbgreekfest.org
Also in Long Beach, if you are on the lookout for celebrities you might want to catch the march of the members of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the Screen Actors Guild along with the LA/Long Beach Labor Coalition at 10am beginning at Broad and E Street south on Avalon Blvd to Banning Park, 1331 Eubank Ave. in Wilmington, CA. At this location there will be a rally with speakers, music and hot dogs, all free. Shuttles will be provided to take you back to the starting point.
If all things Art Deco interests you the Queen Mary is the place to go this weekend. Their Annual Art Deco Festival features lectures, tours, a bazaar, afternoon Tea Dance, Pajama Party and evening Art Deco Ball. This is more expensive than the other events mentioned but it sounds lush and interesting for Art Deco fans. The Queen Mary is located at 1126 Queen's Hwy, Long Beach, CA 90802. A daily boarding pass includes shipboard admission, the Art Deco Bazaar, lectures, vintage car display, Ghosts and Legends Show, plus access to the Art Deco showcase. Adults $24.95 | Seniors 55+ and Military $21.95 | Children (5-11) $12.95. For more information on the weekend events go to www.queenmary.com or the Queen Mary Visitors Guide.
Hermosa Beach is having a 3-day festival including live music, a kiddie carnival and 270 arts and crafts vendors. It's on the Hermosa Beach Pier 10 am - 6 pm Sat- Mon. Free. For more information: www.fiestahermosa.com
Join the Happy Birthday Celebration of our city! Los Angeles was founded on September 4, 1781, by Spanish governor Felipe de Neve as El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles del Río de Porciúncula (The Village of Our Lady, the Queen of the Angels of the river of Porziuncola). Los Angeles was incorporated as a municipality on April 4, 1850, five months before California became a State.
The early morning "Los Pobladores - Walk to Los Angeles" is an annual re-enactment of the nine-mile walk from the San Gabriel Mission (428 Mission Ave., San Gabriel) to establish El Pueblo de Los Angeles at the current Olvera Street. Walkers who don't want to go the whole 9 miles can join the procession at Lincoln Park (3401 Valley Blvd., LA) for a shorter 3-mile walk. At Olvera Street, you will find live music, food and artists booths at El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Site, 125 Paseo de la Plaza. If you don't want to join the walk and just take part in the free celebration you can take the Red Line to Union Station. From there it's a short walk to Olvera Street.
Saturday, Sept 4, 2010, 6:00 am - 9:30 am, Post walk celebration on Olvera Street 9 am - 3 pm. For more information go to www.lospobladores.org, www.elpueblo.lacity.org, (213) 485-8372
Grab the kids, wear comfortable shoes, use lots of sun screen and enjoy!
