This week, Santa Monica College honors its grads and Make Music L.A. brings dozens of free concerts to public spaces throughout the region, including a number of the bayside city’s parks.
SMC Commencement Ceremony
Santa Monica College will hold its 84th annual Commencement Ceremony Tuesday to officially send off the hundreds of students receiving degrees and professional certificates this year into the world.
The event, which will run from 6 to 8 p.m. in Corsair Field, will feature Dr. George R. Blumenthal, Chancellor of U.C. Santa Cruz, as the keynote speaker.
At the ceremony, author Michael Serros, an SMC alumn, will receive the college’s Distinguished Alumni Recognition Award.
For five years running, the college’s commencement ceremony has been broadcast live via the Internet. Friends and family around the world can tune in at http://alumni.smc.edu.
For more information about Tuesday’s event, click here.
When: From 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 17
Where: Corsair Field, Santa Monica College’s football stadium
Make Music L.A.
Make Music L.A. will bring hundreds of free live concerts to public spaces – including about 10 parks and public plazas in Santa Monica – throughout the region from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday.
Per Make Music L.A.’s website: “The second annual Make Music LA had 104 free concerts, our goal this year is to have 500 or more concerts.”
Based on France’s national music holiday, Fete de la Musique, Make Music L.A., now in its third year, encourages local musicians of all skill levels to perform in neighborhoods throughout the county.
“Every performance counts and we can only do it with your help. All performers are welcome –students, amateurs and professionals –but you must register in order to participate,” the site reads.
This year, there are 52 venues throughout the region, including Downtown L.A.’s Grand Park, Griffith Park, and Union Station. In Santa Monica, there will be 10 venues where people can participate in the day-long festival.
Santa Monica’s venues are Tongva Park, Santa Monica Place, Reed Park, Ozone Park, Palisades Park, Hotchkiss Park, Douglas Park, Colorado Center Park, Clover Park, and Virginia Avenue Park.
Per the City of Santa Monica’s website: “In Tongva Park, residents and visitors are invited to make their own music between 12-4pm. The event kicks off with The 100 Hohner Harmonica Project with Tom Nolan. One hundred harmonicas, courtesy of Hohner, a 156 year old musical instrument company, will be distributed to participants who can join a lesson and play along with a live music performance.”
But that’s just one of a dozen events happening around town. For a complete list of performances, visit makemusicla.org.
When: All day Saturday, June 21
Where: 52 venues throughout the county
