Combining philanthropy, community, activism, and music, the Here For LA Fest successfully launched its first warehouse-style event on Saturday, December 3, at L.A. River Studios in Elysian Park.
A series of panel speakers and workshops from organizations, including Healthcare Los Angeles, ArtworxLA, and LA Works, led up to the festival and performances from local musicians in an effort to try to solve the problems LA is facing today.
The festival encouraged conversations around issues such as housing, school enrollment retention and arts programs for at-risk youth, and climate change. This was all while uplifting the vibrant music scene LA is known for by featuring a solid lineup of over 20 local artists, two stages, and a DJ room with various sets held throughout the night.
Junior Varsity, Curtis Waters, Nitefire, Izzy Spears, Kerwin Frost, Asha Imuno, and Maddy Davis were among the performers of the night, and each put on an energetic set to fans, with some even including new music in their sets for the event. Festival-goers could walk around between sets and enjoy the interactive experiences at the event, including a car-smashing room, a boulder maze, a photo booth, an arcade, and a delicious selection of LA food trucks, plus a beer garden.
Here For LA Fest left a great impression on attendees and carefully thought out the event, with an intentional selection of partner organizations and the lineup for the event. All ticket sales from the festival provided 25% to the partner organizations.
Here For LA organizers Ethan Kring and Stella Blue are looking to take the experience to other major cities facing similar challenges, such as San Francisco. They hope to tackle social and climate issues globally through a hyper-local, philanthropic community activism approach.
Highwire Magazine 
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