Echo Park Rising is returning later this month with two days of free live music, art, food and community events spread throughout the Los Angeles neighborhood.
The nonprofit festival will take place Aug. 29-30 at venues, businesses and public spaces across Echo Park. This year’s event marks the first time since before the pandemic that Echo Park Rising will operate as an official two-day festival.
Rather than taking place on a traditional enclosed festival site, Echo Park Rising turns businesses, bars, restaurants and other spaces throughout the neighborhood into stages and gathering spots. Hundreds of performers, artists and local businesses are expected to participate throughout the weekend.
Saturday programming will begin early with a free community tennis club hosted by the Echo Park Chamber of Commerce and Year of Ours from 8-10 a.m. at the Echo Park Tennis Courts. The nearby Echo Park Lake Stage will host free programming from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., beginning with yoga and family-friendly activities before shifting to live music later in the day.
Live performances will take place at several neighborhood venues, including The Semi-Tropic and The Short Stop, with the latter hosting bands during the day followed by late-night dance parties. The Gentlemen’s Breakfast will present a Saturday lineup featuring Nail Polish, Mask Appeal, Angelsaur, Chicano Thunder & The Lightnings, I Know I Know, Innuendo and Soul Family.
Cantina Los Angeles will host a punk showcase presented by Battle Cable on Saturday, followed Sunday by Fruitcake, billed by organizers as Echo Park Rising’s only queer party, with sets from Bridget & Kyle, Liz Markie, Ash and Yazzy.
The weekend will extend beyond music with art demonstrations, pop-ups and food and drink specials throughout Echo Park. Felix and Pierre’s Picnic Shop will offer collage tables and letterpress demonstrations, while Bar Bacetti will host a Disco Brunch on Saturday and Jazz Brunch on Sunday. The Chocolate Dispensary will also feature performances from Shantilly, Enjonu and Balou on Saturday.
Echo Park Rising began as a neighborhood gathering and has since grown into an annual nonprofit festival featuring independent artists, local businesses and community programming.
For more information, visit echoparkrising.com.