500,000+ guests enjoy array of food, outstanding music, job information, health screenings and more
Crenshaw Boulevard overflowed with bodies as more than 500,000 people came out on Oct. 19 for the 19th Annual Taste of Soul Family Festival.
The free multigenerational event created by Danny J. Bakewell Sr. not only featured actress and comedienne Tiffany Haddish as the celebrity host, but also included 300 vendors, three music stages, job interviews, health screenings, financial information, Children’s World, and more.
Pleased about the community’s embrace of the “biggest and baddest block party in all of Los Angeles,” Bakewell also expressed appreciation for the support from civic leaders, corporate executives, elected officials, small business owners, and local residents in uniting to present the massive festival.
“Every year, Taste of Soul gets bigger and better and it’s largely due to the contributions of our partners, sponsors and the greater L.A. community that collectively help us present a variety of entertaining events that also generate dollars for the local economy,” Bakewell said.
“I also want to thank the entire Sentinel team and City of L.A. staff who worked hard before and after Taste of Soul to convert Crenshaw Blvd. into the largest Black festival on the West Coast and then return it back to normal in a 24-hour timespan. It is an incredible achievement!”
Taste of Soul also attracted a large contingent of elected officials who attended to interact with the public as well as encourage people to vote in the Nov. 5 election. Among those joining Bakewell in spreading this message to the crowd were U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, California Secretary of State Shirley Weber, County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass.
Others stressing the importance of voting included State Senators Lola Smallwood-Cuevas and Steven Bradford, Assemblymembers Isaac Bryant and Chris Holden, L.A. Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, L.A. Councilmembers Heather Hutt and Curren Price, and former L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
Taste of Soul Premiere Sponsors are Chevrolet, Southern California Gas Company, Chase Bank, South Coast Air Quality Management District, City National Bank, Ivie McNeill Wyatt Purcell & Diggs, BMO, Los Angeles World Airports, Port of Los Angeles, and Premier Sponsor and Official Transportation Partner and Premiere Sponsor Metro.
Other sponsors are Bank of America, Waymo, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, LADWP, UDW-AFSCME Local 3930 Wells Fargo, Southern California Edison, Cedars-Sinai, SEIU Local 2015, UCLA Health, Pasadena City College, MLK Community Healthcare, Brotherhood Crusade, US Bank, Kaiser Permanente, Vallarta Supermarkets, InnovAge California PACE Crenshaw Center, USC, California Teachers Association, Watts Health Care, Los Angeles Community College District, Charles R. Drew University, AT&T, Los Angeles Dodgers, Black Girl Sunscreen, Los Angeles Public Library, Habitat for Humanity LA, OneLegacy, Pantages/Centerstage Group, Black Girl Sunscreen, Cal Fire, California Conservation Corps, California Black Media, Pet Food Express, Umpqua Bank, SEIU 721, Lee Andrews Group, W. King Healthcare Group, CA Yimby, Target, Comerica Bank, California Highway Patrol, DoorDash, Los Angeles Football Club, First 5 LA, Center for Healthcare Rights, LA Sanitation, West Basin Municipal Water District, UTLA, 97.1 KNX, K-Earth 101, KTWV, L.A. Care, Neighborhood Housing Services.
Taste of Soul partners include Bakewell Media, Los Angeles Sentinel, Mothers In Action, Radio FREE 102.3 KJLH, CBS2/KCAL9, 94.7 The WAVE, Brotherhood Crusade, LAUSD, LA Department of Transportation, Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, City of L.A., County of L.A., Los Angeles Bureau of Street Services, and Western States Carpenters.
