We Are Essential picnic and festival
Santa Monica Cultural Affairs in collaboration with Public Works' Resource Recovery and Recycling and Water divisions and artist Debra Scacco's "Laboratory for the Future" project presents “We Are Essential”, a picnic and festival to kick off Public Works Week at Gandara Park on Sunday, May 19, 2024, from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. All are welcome to bring a picnic to enjoy the park and celebrate the Public Works staff, infrastructure and systems that we rely upon. The aims of "We Are Essential" are to celebrate essential workers, promote organics recycling and share good zero waste habits that everyone can participate in.
This casual backyard picnic-style affair will feature performers in rotation from the Santa Monica Youth Orchestra, including 100 students and a mariachi, a special appearance from Santa Monica's Poet Laureate Anne Carmack and song from experimental vocalist Sharon Chohi Kim. Family-friendly activities include a "where does waste go?" cornhole game, a blind water taste test, a photo op with one of Santa Monica's own sanitation trucks and driver, a coloring activity for the young ones and seed and compost giveaways. The Hamburger Planet food truck will be on hand to fill in picnic gaps, but all are invited to bring a blanket and some nibbles to enjoy the event.
This picnic is a project of Laboratory for the Future, a range of activations at and about City Yards includes public events, a speaker series, photo projects, cartography and exhibitions created by Artist in Residence Debra Scacco. More at https://www.santamonica.gov/city-yards-public-art.
How to get to Gandara Park:
- From the Metro E-Line 26th St/Bergamot Station: exit via east stair and head east on Exposition Corridor Bike Path toward Stewart St. and turn right onto Stewart St. Proceed 530 feet (past Ishihara Park, which will be on the left) and turn right into the park.
- Big Blue Bus: Gandara Park is serviced by line 5 (Olympic Blvd/Stewart) and 7 (Pico Blvd/Stewart)
- Bike parking available at the park; please bring your own lock.
- Car parking is available at Kite Pharma, 1800 Stewart St. Limited spillover parking available at Bergamot Station Arts Center; once parked, walk east through parking lot, through Kite Pharma lot, and turn right on Stewart St. Please do not park in the neighborhood.