Hopping onto a jet and making for Marrakech is a dream of many people, but not always in the cards. There are usual duties to perform, and endless errands, and the day-to-day doings to abide.
So it is wonderful, and appreciated, and a surprise as bright as a mosaic-lovely lamp, that a stunning slice of Morocco has come to visit our city, and for several days, too. It's the Moroccan Artisan Festival, "a cross-cultural experience" focused on the "music, art, fashion, food, and design of Morocco's most authentic entrepreneurs."
The location? Pershing Square downtown. The dates? Be there on any day through Saturday, May 21. Is this the first time such a festival has happened? Indeed.
The Kingdom of Morocco is LA's partner in the "week-long cultural exchange," a visual, sound-filled, and foodie spectacular that's all about connecting Angelenos with what's happening in the art-making hubs and music-creating centers of the North African nation.
Will you a trip downtown give you the flavor of the Atlas Mountains? Or the famous souks of Marrakech? Shall you leave the re-created Moroccan Village feeling as though you've just had a mind-filling, heart-emboldening holiday, but all within Southern California?
Three questions, all with a "yes" on the end.
The multi-day festival, which gives the spotlight to both traditional handicrafts as well as the contemporary creations of Moroccan artists, is very much about the glorious gamut of cultural offerings found within the country, and about connecting with the glorious cultural hub that is Los Angeles.
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Cost? It's free to attend. Finding that scarf or painting or tile-laden vase or all of the above? It's all there for the perusing at Pershing Square.