Someone dropped a giant rubber ducky into the Los Angeles harbor! It’s all part of the Tall Ships Festival that is in full swing at the Port Of Los Angeles. KTLA’s Gayle Anderson has the details on the event, plus other fun things happening in Southern California this weekend.
Admission is FREE!
Fiesta La Ballona
Culver City’s Party in the Park
Veterans Park
4117 Overland Avenue
Culver City
www.FiestaLaBallona.org
It’s time to “party in the park!” Veterans Park in Culver City is the place for Fiesta La Ballona, where you find live performances, carnival rides and games, more than one-hundred booths showcasing local groups, artisan wares, and other vendors, a petting zoo and pony rides, a beer and wine garden, food trucks and a food court, sustainability activities and other special activities. Admission is free.
Tall Ships Festival 2014
Los Angeles Waterfront
Port of Los Angeles
250 South Harbor Boulevard
San Pedro
www.TallShipsFestivalLA.com
We can see more than more than a dozen majestic domestic and international sailing ships, including the official Tall Ships of the City of Los Angeles: Irving Johnson and Exy Johnson and The Twin Brigantines at the Tall Ships Festival in San Pedro. Also, the historic Battleship USS Iowa and S.S. Lane Victory will also be open for tours with your tall ships ticket. The Port of Los Angeles is just one of three West Coast ports to host the Tall Ships this summer.
At the Port of Los Angeles, see the globally famous Rubber Duck art installation and only the second North American city to do so. The Duck project is the creative effort of internationally renowned artist Florentijn Hofman from The Netherlands. Hofman’s Duck has also appeared in Australia, Taiwan, China, Belgium, Japan, New Zealand, Brazil and Pittsburgh. At 40-feet tall, Rubber Duck is bigger than a sail on a great sailboat, and is kept tethered to a heavy round barge to keep from blowing away. Just as with all works of art in a museum, people are not to touch it. Souvenir replicas will be available for purchase. Rubber Duck will be illuminated after dark, but in deference to those living near his latest over sized tub, the scene will go dark each night at 11 p.m.
Loads of family friendly entertainment and activities will pack the port during the Tall Ships Festival. Visitors can hear an eclectic taste of musical genres such as rock, jazz, Sea Shanty, Latin, Mexican, Big Band, Country and dance. If a slew of great music isn’t enough, a few Tall Ship’s sails will be creatively used as gigantic movie screens showing entertaining flicks throughout the duration of the festival.
Educational and children’s activities include cannon demonstrations, authentic privateer encampment, real sword fighting with live steel, knot tying, weapon demonstrations and sail training with real tall ship rigging. Youth visitors can also try their hand at creating one-of-a-kind treasures and handmade creations with projects lead by the Port of Los Angeles’s own, Crafted.
Also, find L.A.’s regional food trucks, California wine tasting and for the beer lovers, San Pedro Brewing Company will provide a curated, full craft brew menu featuring the region’s best brewers. In addition, local, regional, and national crafters will be on hand showcasing a wide variety of hand-made creations including maritime-themed artwork.
Rare & Endangered Whale Watching
Harbor Breeze Cruises
Aquarium of the Pacific
100 Aquarium Way, Dock #2
Long Beach
(562) 983-6880
www.2seewhales.com
www.aquariumofpacific.org
While we’re on the water, marine biologists say this is a great time to go whale watching. A lot of whales are reported in our area, including the rare Bryde’s whale along with endangered Blue whales. Harbor Breeze Cruises and Aquarium of the Pacific experts invite the public to three-hour whale watch excursions and then learn more about whale communication at the aquarium’s interactive Whales: Voices in the Sea exhibit.
Wings Over Camarillo Air Show
Camarillo Airport
555 Airport Way
Camarillo
www.WingsOverCamarillo.com
At the 2014 Wings Over Camarillo Air Show at Camarillo Airport is the only Ventura County air show this year.
Meet Chuck Aaron of Westlake Village, one of the few pilots to fly the Red Bull Helicopter upside down, who will be joined by National Air Racing veteran and aerobatic pilot Vicky Benzing and 60-other experienced pilots to thrill the crowds.
The air show begins at 12 Noon and lasts through 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. To start the air show, parachutists will jump out of a transport plane at 8,000 feet above the airport and glide down over the crowd below. Afterwards, the show will feature single aircraft demonstrations and aerobatic flying, formation flying, high speed runs down the fly zone, plus vivid descriptions, the history of the flying aircraft and their pilots over the PA systems.
In addition to the air show, the whole day is packed with family fun, entertainment, food booths, a variety of vendors and other ground displays to see before the flying starts. FREE programs will be distributed at the gates listing daily activities and maps of the event areas.
All American Soap Box Derby
The Queen Mary
1126 Queens Highway
Long Beach
(877) 342-0738
www.aasbd.com
www.QueenMary.com/derby
The All American Soap Box Derby makes its formal Long Beach racing debut at the Queen Mary in Long Beach. The gravity fueled cars compete in several classes including a novice class for first time competitors as well as first time builders.
Gallery of Speed
Wally Park NHRA Motorsports Museum
The Fairplex
1101 West McKinley Avenue, Building 3A
Pomona
(909) 622-2133
www.nhramuseum.org
Hot rod lovers will want to visit the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum’s Gallery Of Speed. It focuses on four historical, generational, and transitional aspects of hot rodding history as well as America’s affection for the automobile. This exhibition features cars, life sculptures, historical video and interactive displays. Make sure to check out the newly renovated gift shop to pick something up for your hot rod enthusiast.
Hot Rod aficionados will also want to check out the Twilight Cruise Nights presented by Prolong Super Lubricants at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum. This monthly event allows hundreds of hot rods, classic cars and even a few vintage race cars to converge for a day with family and friends. Cruise Nights are FREE and open to the public and cruisers. Festivities include music, food vendors, and more. All proceeds benefit the museum, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
The Cruise Nights are held the first Wednesday of every month from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m through December 3rd. The remaining 2014 Prolong Twilight
Cruise Dates are:
August 6
October 1
November 5
December 3 (bring a toy for the annual toy drive)
The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Museum has extended hours during the NHRA Winter nationals and NHRA Finals. Hours change during the annual Los Angeles County Fair. The Museum is closed on most major U.S. holidays including Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Current NHRA members are admitted FREE. Admission for non-members is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors 60 and older, $8 for juniors 6 through 15, and FREE for children under the age of 5. AAA discounts are available. Admission to the Museum is FREE after 3 p.m.
Long Beach Barbeque Bonanza
Rainbow Lagoon
Long Beach
longbeachbbgfestival.com
This is described as the best barbecue festival in town. The Long Beach Barbecue Festival. What’s on the menu? Event organizers promise delicious ribs, pulled pork, trip tip, sausage, chicken and more.
2014 Mexico Food Fair
Los Angeles Convention Center
Downtown Los Angeles
www.mexicofoodfair.com
And, find Mexico’s finest food, spices, wine, beer, and tequila showcased at the 2014 Mexico Food Fair at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
An unprecedented display of cultural & gastronomic goodies are offered at this free event as well as cooking lessons and conferences with award winning chefs.
Gayle, Gayle on the Go
KTLA 5 News
5800 Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90028
323-460-5732
Gayle.Anderson@KTLA.com
Also, Twitter, Facebook & Instagram: ktlagayle
So, what’s going on in your world? Let us know! Please be sure to provide video with your request. The deadline for your information is Tuesday 5pm.
Have a GREAT Saturday!
Gayle Anderson, KTLA 5 News.