The Loisaida Festival has been celebrated on Sunday before Memorial Day since 1987. It is the largest ethnic community pride festival in the Lower East Side, 15,000+ people attended last year.
Performing on the LoisaidaFest Main Stage: Calma Carmona, Chicano Batman, Papote Jimenez, Herencia De Plena, E.A.Flow, Capá Prieto & more…
Hosted by Luis Guzmán
Beyond the top-notch diverse musical line-up of our Main Stage, the Festival offers a Green Zone, Healthy Living Zone, Arts and Craft Zone, and rich culinary street-level experiences, our Theater Lab with an Itinerary for Kid Friendly Activities, the Loisaida Awards, and our celebratory Loisaida Fest Carnival Procession.
The Festival is the annual signature event of Loisaida Inc. Funds are raised to expand our non-profit which recently secured a 51-year lease for its new Loisaida Center. All proceeds from the Loisaida Festival are used for the production of the same and for the operations of the The Loisaida Center.
The event officially kicks off Loisaida Fest Parade, which is the Carnival Procession that kicks off the Festival. This year’s Carnival Procession theme is “One neighborhood… and entire community” in celebration of Loisaida’s unique inclusive diversity and social vibe. The Loisaida Fest Carnival Procession has a family friendly neighborhood vibe consisting of community and visiting contingents of marching bands, little leaguers, civic and community organizations, antique/classic bicycles, twirlers, public agencies and various other groups making their way through the parade route to the cheers of spectators.
The main components of the Carnival Procession, or Children’s Parade, are the New York Stars Twirling and Marching Band, Inc. opening contingent, the Felix Millan Little League contingent, diverse local or visiting contingents, such as the Swing bicycle clubs, etc…, and the closing contingent.
This year’s closing contingent will feature a special presentation by the cast of the upcoming production of SUEÑO, A Latino Take on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream; an evening full of Fantasy, Afro-Caribbean Dance, Puppetry, and Magic! A production by Teatro SEA that combines actors, dancers, puppets, live music and much more, and which will be presented from June 5th through June 28th outdoors at the Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural Center and performed in Spanish, English and Portuguese.