For the 4th year in a row, DTLA resident DJ, Sir Oliver, will be putting on his annual Jamaican Independence Day Festival in Gladys Park, Saturday, August 3, 2019, 1-6pm.
Sir Oliver, along with a lineup of local musicians and DJs, will be gracing festival attendees with reggae beats and other international jams in celebration of life, freedom, and the resilient spirit of the Skid Row community.
The free festival will feature two performance areas — one stage inside Gladys Park and another on Gladys Ave, which will be closed off to traffic for the day. Alongside the musical acts will be free food and non-alcoholic beverages provided by Skid Row Coffee, Wesley Health Centers’ mobile HIV testing unit, a visual art exhibit from Studio 526, community booths for local advocacy organizations, and more.
The day-long musical lineup will include performances from Sir Oliver & Street Symphony Ensemble, Central City Praise Team, Jah’s Children, Bloco Obini, Urban Voices Project, Yooney Tunes, Lady S, the LACAN Skid Row Singers, and more! All performances will be live broadcasted by Radio Justice.
Jamaican Independence Day IV is made possible by generous support from: the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, Street Symphony, Eayikes, Studio 526, Skid Row Coffee, Los Angeles Community Action Network (LACAN), Social Model Recovery Systems, and Radio Justice.
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Sir Oliver is a selector and event producer who mixes reggae from Jamaica and beyond, Latin salsa, and modern hip-hop — all on his impressive vinyl collection.
Sir Oliver has been actively involved in LA’s Skid Row community for 4 years; he organized the first Bob Marley Day and Jamaican Independence Day festival in Skid Row in 2016, and brought them back the following year with renewed strength, undeterred by difficulties and challenges of producing a community event with little or no budget, while dealing with personal housing issues.
In 2017, thanks to Sir Oliver’s efforts, Mayor Eric Garcetti officially recognized Feb 6th in the City of Los Angeles as Bob Marley Day, stating “In remembrance of the legendary musician Bob Marley, I encourage the residents of this city on this day to also practice gratitude in the face of whatever inconvenience they may face and strive toward peace with their fellow human beings.” Sir Oliver also participates weekly in Los Angeles Community Action Network’s Organic Pop up Market, has been the house DJ for the Studio 526 Arts Jam for over 2 years, and has exhibited his visual artwork in several venues in Los Angeles. His work is published in the Skid Row Zine, with inspiration wholly rooted in his music interests.
For more information visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/1106269019559583/
(photos from last year’s festival by Sadiyya Ameena – @sadiyyaameena)
