The Leimert Park Village African Art & Music Festival was CANCELLED in 2016 because James Burks, a career employee that works for Cultural Affairs and is the person that approves/denies applications for events in Leimert Park Village, took our event dates, that we've had since 2009 in an effort to relaunch his African Marketplace.
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However, the event he staged, in 2016, was a huge flop because only a handful of people showed up. Therefore, he cancelled the third day and had to return money to vendors that paid for a 3-day event. Then, in 2017, James Burks gave our dates to another group, even though their application was submitted after ours. That group also only drew a few hundred people each day, even though they were using our name illegally, stole images from our website and plagiarized our content.
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Please beware that ANY events in Leimert Park Village Labor Day Weekend are NOT associated in any way with The Leimert Park Village African Art & Music Festival. If you attended the REAL Leimert Park Village African Art & Music Festival between 2009-2015, you know what a huge and quality event it was with superb entertainment, activities for kids, teens & adults, Fortune 500 sponsors and over 50 amazing vendors from all around the world.
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Although we took action immediately and filed formal complaints in 2016 & with the Department of Cultural Affairs, LA City Council Chairman Herb Wesson's office and The Leimert Park Village Task Force, and again in 2017 with those same entities plus Mayor Eric Garcetti;s office, NOTHING was done and to add insult to injury two of those offices NEVER responded to phone calls or emails.
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We are looking for a new venue for 2018.
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However, the event he staged, in 2016, was a huge flop because only a handful of people showed up. Therefore, he cancelled the third day and had to return money to vendors that paid for a 3-day event. Then, in 2017, James Burks gave our dates to another group, even though their application was submitted after ours. That group also only drew a few hundred people each day, even though they were using our name illegally, stole images from our website and plagiarized our content.
---
Please beware that ANY events in Leimert Park Village Labor Day Weekend are NOT associated in any way with The Leimert Park Village African Art & Music Festival. If you attended the REAL Leimert Park Village African Art & Music Festival between 2009-2015, you know what a huge and quality event it was with superb entertainment, activities for kids, teens & adults, Fortune 500 sponsors and over 50 amazing vendors from all around the world.
---
Although we took action immediately and filed formal complaints in 2016 & with the Department of Cultural Affairs, LA City Council Chairman Herb Wesson's office and The Leimert Park Village Task Force, and again in 2017 with those same entities plus Mayor Eric Garcetti;s office, NOTHING was done and to add insult to injury two of those offices NEVER responded to phone calls or emails.
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We are looking for a new venue for 2018.
