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BOYLE HEIGHTS, LOS ANGELES () — For more than a decade, the Boyle Heights Youth Festival has drawn thousands for a day of family fun and free food.
But, what you might not know is this East Los Angeles tradition is completely led by teens and young adults, who do everything from booking entertainers to ordering thousands of paletas from area vendors.
Friday, the festival will host its first information session of the 2026 season, searching for its next generation of leaders.
The meeting will begin at 4 p.m. at the Boyle Heights Arts Conservatory.
Click here to register for the meeting
Lead coordinator Adrian Salinas said anyone who is ages 14-24 and looking to make an impact on the community should apply.
“Although it is called the Boyle Heights Youth Festival, this festival is for everyone,” Salinas said. “If you’re a youth who’s located in South Central, Southgate, all the way in the west coast, or anywhere around LA County, you are still able to join the Youth Council.”
Youth Council members work alongside each other to put on this annual event, building transferrable skills and earning community service hours all the while.
“The commitment is dependent on what committee they decide to choose,” Salinas said, offering roles in entertainment, logistics, outreach and marketing, and sports and activities.
“All these different committees play a pivotal role in planning out and executing different things that need to be done for the festival itself.”
Oshún Ramirez has been participating in the Boyle Heights Youth Festival since she was 8, starting as an attendee and later joining the Youth Council.
The 17-year-old said she was delighted to serve as a stage manager last year, just one of many experiences she’s now able to add to her resume because of the program.
“It makes me feel really proud to be a part of something like this,” Ramirez said. “I love being a part of the El Sereno/Boyle Heights community, and it just also gives me the opportunity to share my heritage, share my culture with everyone else.”
“Growing up, I wish I would have had… this big cultural festival in my backyard,” Salinas added. “Now that I’m able to help plan this magical event, it’s absolutely the best sensation, getting to see all the work that you put into, into planning, and seeing how others are enjoying that day.”
The 2026 Boyle Heights Youth Festival is set for June 6, from 3-7 p.m.
The Boyle Heights Arts Conservatory is located at 2700 E Cesar E Chavez Ave., in Los Angeles.
Free parking is available at 339 N. Fickett St.
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