The Watts Summer Festival (WSF), a historic and cultural cornerstone of the Watts community, returns to Ted Watkins Park, on Saturday and Sunday, August 10-11, from noon to dusk.
The weekend kicks off on Friday, Aug. 9, at 5 p.m., in Club Watts at the Ted Watkins gymnasium, with the 4th Annual Poetry Jam competition, hosted by Friends at Mafundi, a coalition formed to sustain the history and culture of Watts.
“The 2024 Festival theme is Watts Up?!!!,” said WSF Executive Director Pamela Garrett. “We invite you, your family and your village to come out, share your stories, see old friends and make some new ones!”
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Attendees will enjoy an array of programs and activities that include ongoing live music and performances featuring local emerging talent; “Talking Drum” segments on current topics; Sankofa Youth Village; marketplace; community resources and more.
This year also features the exciting WSF All-Star Basketball Game, on Sat. Aug 10 at 9 a.m., in the Ted Watkins Park gymnasium.
The 2024 Super Hero Art Competition for Watts students from elementary school through college work will be judged by local artists from the Watts Towers Campus including acclaimed editorial cartoonist David G. Brown and displayed in a special exhibit at the Festival.
WSF awards and recognitions will be presented during the Opening Ceremonies on Sat. Aug. 10, at 11:30 a.m. The honors include the Tommy Jacquette Legacy Torchbearer Award, which pays tribute to community members and/or organizations who have demonstrated through action a dedicated commitment to uplifting the community, and the Tommy Jacquette Spirit of Watts Award that honors a local youth who exhibits a spirit of activism and Watts-centric pride.
The WSF Trailblazer Award recognizes an individual from the Watts community who has made identifiable achievements in their career that resulted in a statewide, nationwide or global impact.
For more information, contact the Watts Summer Festival office at [email protected].
