SANTA MONICA—The city of Santa Monica announced on their website on May 8 that the We Are Essential, a community festival focused around water conservation and zero waste and organics recycling education, kicks off National Public Works Week on May 19, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Gandara Park.
Gandara Park is located at 1819 Stewart St. in the Pico Neighborhood and is near the City Yards, which is the essential public works services.
The festival, which will feature workshops, activities and performances, is part of a two-year artist-in-residency project with artist Debra Scacco that explores themes of ecological sustainability and justice, the daily work of municipal maintenance and its connections to the community, and the labor of public works essential workers.
The free event will feature activities for the whole family, including:
-Learn about compost workshop
-Tap and purified blind water tasting
-Santa Monica Youth Orchestra and SOL-LA Music Academy performing water-themed music
-Coloring stations
-Seed and compost giveaways
-Closeup photo ops with city utility vehicles
-Recycling themed lawn games
-Vocal artist Sharon Chohi Kim
-Reading by Santa Monica Poet Laureate Anne Carmack
-Participatory truck activation by artist Tanya Aguiñiga
The city will continue celebrating National Public Works Week through May 25, highlighting the role of public works in our daily lives and honoring the essential workers that make it all possible.
Additional Public Works Week activities include:
-A celebratory proclamation delivered by the City Council at its May 14 meeting.
-Public displays in the City Hall lobby and the City Yards Operations Center lobby
“The dedicated employees of our Public Works Department keep essential city services running day in and day out,” said Mayor Phil Brock. “I’m thrilled to celebrate and acknowledge our workforce and all essential workers this May and every day of the year.”
