When the sixth annual street-clearing CicLAvia event comes to Culver City for the first time on Sunday, between 10 and 3, the unprecedented 15-mile car-free route will connect the historic El Pueblo de Los Angeles in downtown to the boardwalk of Venice Beach via Venice Boulevard.
CicLAvia is free and open to all. Participants may join the route anywhere along its path without signing up.
For one day, the CicLAvia route unites the distinctive neighborhoods of downtown Los Angeles, Westlake, Pico Union, West Adams, Mid-City, Culver City, Mar Vista, Palms and Venice as one continuous community.
CicLAvia will feature a wide range of locally produced activities and programs along the route, inviting participants to enjoy the unique personality of each neighborhood, local eateries, shops, architecture, and the people themselves.
“By focusing on people rather than cars, CicLAvia has brought life into the streets and businesses of Los Angeles” said City Councilperson Meghan Sahli-Wells. “This is an ideal way to highlight our excellent restaurants, walkable downtown, and beautiful historic buildings.
“I hope Culver City residents will leave their cars behind and enjoy our city by bike, foot, stroller, scooter or wheelchair.”
Nine hubs,or rest locations, have been strategically spotted along the CicLAvia route, including Culver City.
The Culver City hub will offer free water, wheelchair-accessible restrooms, and first-aid stations. The hub was created by the Downtown Business Assn. in partnership with City Hall to form an oasis for CicLAvia bicyclists to stop and rest, repair their bicycles, receive a chair massage, or valet their bikes to eat lunch at a nearby restaurant. The Culver City hub also includes live entertainment, face painters, balloon artists, glitter tattoos, chalk artists, and music. The hub boundaries are Main Street, closed between Venice and Culver boulevards, and the former Washington Boulevard roadway and adjacent parking lot in front of the Culver Hotel.
“CicLAvia is a fun opportunity for residents to get some fresh air, exercise, and see the Westside sights at a leisurely pace by bike, skates, jogging or just walking,” said City Councilman Jim Clarke. “The city is ready to welcome 15,000 visitors.”
Among the CicLAvia celebration highlights in Downtown:
104.3 MYfm radio – A DJ giving away gifts.
The Brilliant Gypsies – Incendiary alt/indie Celtic folk rock group, between noon and 2. on the corner of Culver and Washington boulevards.
104.3 MYfm Radio – LA's more variety from the 90's till today – DJ spinning tunes and giving away cool stuff from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Ak and her Kalishnikovs – New old world music ranging from Gypsy love songs to Russian lullabies to Serbian ballads to Spanish Copla to French pop to what sounds suspiciously like rock ‘n roll. The band is playing from 2 to 4 on the corner of Culver and Washington.
Fathers and Suns – A rural folk/pop group described as “a sea of sugary sounds that make you feel like you're sailing over the ocean.” The band is playing from 4 to 5 at the same intersection.
Rosendo – The folk/pop singer/songwriter will be playing from 3 to 5 :00 p.m. in the Trader Joe’s parking lot.
Marston-Lord of the Cello – The electric cello player will be at the corner of Venice Boulevard and Main Street from noon to 3.
Family Fun – In Town Plaza, adjacent to the Culver Hotel, face painters, balloon artists, glitter tattoos and chalk artists will be there.
Randy Kaplan – The singer/songwriter, one of People magazine's “8 Cool Kids' Albums Now,” will perform from 11 to 5, the first two hours with live jazz, courtesy of the Culver Hotel.
