Monday, May 6, 2013

Topanga Days May 25-27

Over forty years of tradition will be celebrated this Memorial Day Weekend as the Topanga Community Club puts on the highly anticipated 40th annual Topanga Days Country Fair, May 25, 26 and 27 from 10AM – 7PM. All ages are welcome and free shuttles will be running along Topanga Canyon Blvd.

Midway between the Pacific Ocean and the San Fernando Valley, the pristine and idyllic city of Topanga Canyon rejoices on Memorial Day Weekend with three days of jam-packed live music, arts and crafts, local vendors, amazing food and beverages, fun family activities, and a historic parade.

“Topanga Days get’s bigger and better every year without losing the rich traditions on which it was founded,” said Mimi Williams, Festival Director. “We’re thrilled to have both the support of community members and people from all parts of Southern California keeping this uniqueTopangan tradition alive for 40 years and counting.”

Andy Dick who is turning heads (and tapping feet) on DANCING WITH THE STARS is a regular at Topanga Days as are other celebrities, many of whom call Topanga home and consider it a sanctuary. Other Topanga celebrity residents include Wendie Mallick, Emile Hirsch, Rick Schroeder, Viggo Mortensen, Cloris Leachman, to name a few.

TOPANGA’S RICH MUSICAL HISTORY
Topanga is rich with musical history and has been home to Woody Guthrie, Neil Young, Marvin Gaye, Etta James, Crazy Horse, Jim Morrison, Emmylou Harris, Keith Richards, Van Morrison and composer James Horner to list a few. Topanga Days is and always has been key in providing a welcoming gathering place for luminaries, locals, visitors and an eclectic variety of people from all walks of life.

Topanga is one of the last remaining communities in Los Angeles county to have been able to hold on to their roots and conserve, nurture and make use of the natural landscape for the greater good of area residents and visitors. One of the most unique aspects of the fair is the community’s commitment of maintaining the original natural beauty of the area and on the grounds where the fair takes place.

During the mid 20th century The Topanga Corral nightclub was an area landmark that featured an eclectic mix of performers, including then Topanga locals Canned Heat, Spirit, Little Feat, Spankyand Our Gang, Taj Mahal, Emmylou Harris, Etta James, Windance, Neil Young, and Crazy Horse, Geronimo Black, and many others. It is rumored that Jim Morrison was inspired to write "Roadhouse Blues" about the drive up Topanga Canyon Boulevard to The Corral. Later in the 1970s, after being destroyed by fire and rebuilt, the club featured many up and coming bands from the L.A. punk scene.

THE 40TH ANNUAL TOPANGA DAYS PARADE, one of the most festive, historic and bohemian parades in Los Angeles, will start Monday, May 27 at 9AM. This year’s Queen of the parade is none other than local Topanga resident and internationally celebrated award-winning actressCLORIS LEACHMAN who is raising Cain with her latest gig as “Maw Maw” on Fox’s RAISING HOPE and became a household name for her incomparable performances in both television and movie masterpieces like THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW, YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, LAST PICTURE SHOW for which she won an Oscar, and hundreds more. The Emcee is longtime Topanga resident Billy Porter, who has yet to miss a Topanga Days in the 40th years of the festival’s history.

Live Music
Two stages of ongoing music will start at 11am each day with main stage performances by VENICE, who was recently featured on NBC’s THE VOICE, THE STYLETONES, LEE ROCKER and CECILIA NOËL and exciting music from myriad local bands, click here for the full lineup.  Food and beverages for musicians backstage will be provided by Whole Foods, Zevia and Golden Road.

Kids’ Zone hosted by Oak Grove Preschool -Fun For The Entire Family 11am-5pm daily: A complete kids’ zone will be available throughout the weekend. Kids and families will enjoy games that include but are not limited to:
·      Face painting
·      Spill the Milk
·      Goldfish bowl toss (animal friendly – a new take on an old favorite)
·      Lucky Duck
·      Make-a-bracelet
·      Tattoos
·      Treasure Dig

Games for Big Kids: In addition to games for kids, there will be games for kids of all ages, including but not limited to a sack race, egg toss, watermelon seed spit, bucket fill and pie eating contest.

TOPANGA DAYS FESTIVAL takes place Saturday-Monday, May 25-27 at the Topanga Community House, 1440 N Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga, CA 90290, halfway between the Ventura Blvd and the PCH. Fair hours are from 10am-7pm daily. Free shuttle service is available along Topanga Canyon Blvd., check website for official stops. General admission: $20; TCC Members &Military: $15; Children 6-12 & Seniors 65+: $10; Children 5 & under admitted free. Click here for information.

FROM STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL to BOHEMIAN FAIR
What originally started out as the Strawberry Festival during the 1960s evolved into what we call the Topanga Days Country Fair. The12-acre property, which has hosted years of events, was offered to the Topanga Community Club in 1949, originally known as the Topanga Woman’s Club. It started as a community center for all, at which dance parties, bingo games, and children’s events were held.

The Community House evolved over time, hosting larger events such as the first Strawberry Festival during the 1960s, and eventually turned into the annual Topanga Days 3-day festival over Memorial Day weekend. Legends such as Neil Young, Canned Heat and so many more have performed on the Topanga Days’ stage.

Today, as the canyon’s population has grown, the Topanga Days Festival has grown along with it- yet has still retained its unique style and traditional spirit of getting people from all walks of life to celebrate a good time together.
For more information on Topanga Days in general visit www.topangadays.com

About the Topanga Community Club

The TCC is a community oriented, non-profit, volunteer organization dedicated to protect, maintain, upgrade and enhance the Community House and the grounds entrusted to its care. The TCC is dedicated to serving the Community of Topanga by providing access and support for philanthropic, educational, and community activities and services.

For more information on the Topanga Community Club please visit http://www.topangacommunityclub.com

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