Although the neighborhood is slowly emerging from a pandemic year spent at home, many live events, festivals and shows are still navigating the virtual to “in-person” transition. The beloved Loisaida Festival is streaming this year’s festival online on their Loisaida Inc. Center Live Stream YouTube Channel Sunday, May 23rd and May 30th, 2021. The festival promises, “a solid roster of musicians and performers, artistry, and overall family entertainment, comparable to only the best Latinx Heritage Festivals in the world.”
The musical lineup includes: world-renowned Mexican singer & actor Fernando Allende; Afro-Caribbean/electronic music project ÌFÉ; Puerto Rican folk singer Chabela Rodríguez; Afro-Brazilian Samba Reggae All-Female Band Batalá, and acclaimed local contemporary R&B Soul-Jazz artist Duendita as well as Linda Díaz, the winner of NPR’s 2020 Tiny Desk Contest. Also featuring a short film by the Puerto Rican theater troupe Y No Había Luz, a Cuchifritos cooking demonstration by María Bido part of La Cocina de Loisaida, a monologue by Loisaida Artistic Residency recipient Haus of Dust, and more.
This year’s theme, ¡Viva Loisaida!, celebrates the Lower East Side’s roots, the elements that characterize the neighborhood, and its residents’ resiliency, creativity, growth, and unity.
