The Assyrian, Not Syrian! Concert

Saturday, March 19, 2022, at 3 pm

The Getty Villa

Tickets are $20

Discover the history and contemporary life of Assyrian immigrants through live music, storytelling, and dance that blends the ancient and the modern. This interdisciplinary folk concert includes vocals, qanoun, duduk, clarinet, bass, percussion, and piano with songs performed in Assyrian. Presented by Gilgamesh Art & Culture Foundation, an Orange County-based organization dedicated to empowering and representing the richness of Assyrian and Iranian heritage. This event complements the exhibition Assyria: Palace Art of Ancient Iraq.

Poussin Projected: A Screening of Contemporary Dance Films

Saturday, March 26, 2022, at 3 pm

The Getty Center, at Harold M. Williams Auditorium

Free

See three newly commissioned dance films by leading LA-based choreographers Chris Emile, Ana María Alvarez, and Micaela Taylor. Their dynamic works complement the Getty Center exhibition Poussin and the Dance and respond to the French artist’s intricate depictions of dramatic scenes, richly colored textiles, enigmatic landscapes, and powerful bodies in motion that radiate celebration or despair. The screening is followed by a discussion and Q&A with choreographers Chris Emile and Ana María Alvarez, delving into their processes and inspiration. After the screening and talk, join a celebratory reception with light bites and drinks. Poussin and the Dance is on view in the Museum’s Exhibitions Pavilion, Upper Level. Watch the dance films online here.

Credit: The Getty.

Known for the best year-round whale watching experiences, Dana Point Harbor is gearing up to celebrate whale watching season with the 51st Annual Dana Point Festival of Whales, March 5-6. The Festival pays tribute to the annual migration of California gray whales past Dana Point. The abundance of whales in these local waters has named Dana Point the “Dolphin & Whale Watching Capital of the World^®.” 

The celebratory weekend will kick off with the Welcoming of the Whales Ceremony at the Ocean Institute on March 4 featuring music, food trucks, refreshments, and educational activities. The iconic Festival of Whales Parade will begin at 10 a.m. on March 5 and will travel from the island across the bridge and into the village of Dana Point Harbor. The weekend will be filled with events including whale watching excursions, a Whales, Tails, and Ales street fair, the Dana Point Fine Arts Association Show, a concert on the water at Baby Beach and more. This year’s Festival is dedicated in memory of Dana Wharf Sportfishing and Whale Watching founder, Don Hansen (1934-2022). 

New this year, Dana Point Harbor Partners commissioned artists Joel Dean Stockdill and Yustina Salnikova to construct Fluke: A Tale of Plastic, a life-sized depiction of an adult gray whale tail, in the act of ‘fluking,’ or raising its fluke vertically above the surface in order to propel itself to the depths. The sculpture will be constructed starting March 5 and will remain on display throughout the Festival, located on the grass area at the entrance to the Harbor. The sculpture further highlights Dana Point Harbor Partners’ partnership with Stand Up to Trash. Single-use water bottles and trash collected by Stand Up to Trash volunteers will be utilized by the artists to create this piece, along with reclaimed steel and damaged curbside trash bins.

“It is a pleasure to showcase artists who are using post-consumer materials to create art,” said Bryon Ward of Dana Point Harbor Partners and President of Burnham Ward Properties. “Our community highly values the arts and environmentalism for our ocean and beaches. This installation highlights our practice of sustainable development as we revitalize the Harbor in the coming years.”
Experience the height of whale watching season and enjoy Dana Point Harbor’s abundant and diverse marine life year-round. For more information and to view the full list of events visit festivalofwhales.com and DanaPointHarbor.com.

Credit: Dana Point Harbor.

The Aquarium of the Pacific will host its twentieth annual African American Festival, which features music, dance, storytelling, historical displays, and the annual Heritage Award presentation. The Aquarium will also announce and celebrate the recipients of its 2022 African American Scholar Program.

The festival will take place on Saturday and Sunday, February 26 and 27, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Guests can experience performances, including hip hop and break dance, drum circles, and live bands. The African American Scholar Program awards ceremony will take place on Saturday, February 26, at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time and can be attended in person in the Honda Pacific Visions Theater or via a free live stream by visiting the Aquarium’s African American Festival webpage. The Heritage Award will be presented on Sunday, February 27, to Carolyn Caldwell in recognition of her more than thirty years of dedicated service in healthcare in Long Beach. In addition to the festival’s offerings, visitors can discover the wonders of the Pacific Ocean at the Aquarium as they meet more than 12,000 animals. 

WHEN:          Saturday and Sunday, February 26-27, 2022, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.                       

WHERE:        Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA 90802

How to view the African American Scholar Program award ceremony virtually:

On Saturday, February 26, at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time, the public can visit the African American Festival webpage to watch the live streaming awards ceremony announcing the 2022 African American Scholar Program recipients.

How to view the festival performance virtually:

The performance by Dembrebrah at 2:30 p.m. Pacific Time on Sunday, February 27 will be live on the Aquarium of the Pacific’s Facebook and Instagram.

HERITAGE

AWARD:         Carolyn Caldwell is the president and chief executive officer of St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach, California, and she is the first African American serving in this position. A medical technologist by training, Caldwell has over thirty years of experience in the healthcare industry. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Alabama A&M University and her master’s degree in healthcare administration from Texas Woman’s University. Caldwell has a passion for working with and providing high quality healthcare to vulnerable or underrepresented populations. Her efforts have earned her several awards, including the Palm Springs Human Rights Commission Community Service Award in 2015 and Women Worth Watching by the Profiles in Diversity Journal in 2011. In addition, she received recognition as a Distinguished Health Care Administrator from the Long Beach Section of the National Council of Negro Women. She is a fellow with the American College of Healthcare Executives, a former board member of the American Hospital Association, and past chair of the AHA Institute for Diversity in Health Management. Caldwell is the chair of the Board of Directors of the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.

COST:            The festival is included with general admission: $36.95 per adult (ages 12+), $26.95 per child (ages 3-11), $33.95 per senior (ages 62+), and free for Aquarium members and children under age three

INFO:              (562) 590-3100 or aquariumofpacific.org/events/info/african_american_festival/

Aquarium Safety protocols: aquariumofpacific.org/visit/aquarium_safety  

Credit: The Aquarium of the Pacific.

Beginning February 1^st at 10 AM PT until February 14^th midnight, select OVO performances at LA Live’s Microsoft Theater will be 2 tickets for $89!

About OVO

OVO is a headlong rush into a colorful ecosystem teeming with life, where insects work, eat, crawl, flutter, play, fight and look for love in a non-stop riot of energy and movement. The insects’ home is a world of biodiversity and beauty filled with noisy action and moments of quiet emotion.

When a mysterious egg appears in their midst, the insects are awestruck and intensely curious about this iconic object that represents the enigma and cycles of their lives.

It’s love at first sight when a gawky, quirky insect arrives in this bustling community and a fabulous ladybug catches his eye – and the feeling is mutual.

OVO is overflowing with contrasts. The hidden, secret world at our feet is revealed as tender and torrid, noisy and quiet, peaceful and chaotic. And as the sun rises on a bright new day the vibrant cycle of insect life begins anew.

Credit: Cirque du Soleil.

 The Grove and The Americana at Brand, are ringing in the ‘Year of the Tiger.’

Taking place January 24 – February 6, the landmarks will be decked out in dazzling decor with special offerings for the community to celebrate the holiday. The concierge at both properties will distribute ‘Year of The Tiger’ tote bags, and for good fortune, guests will receive traditional ‘lucky red’ envelopes that include either $2 bills or special offers from brands like Michael Kors, Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill, J. Crew, Nordstrom’s Bar Verde and more (full list HERE).

Credit: The Grove and The Americana at Brand,