This is the third year I have attended. I like to watch the Dance performances in the auditorium. Thailand has a very unique and beautiful culture. Thailand is formerly know as Siam.
Ticha B.
Place rating: 4 Los Angeles, CA
September 16, 2012 marks the 20th anniversary of the Thai Cultural Day in Thai Town, Hollywood, CA at the Barnsdall Art Park. This is a nice event that is a bit different from the Songkran Festival in Hollywood. The Thai Cultural Day combines the arts, music and Thai traditional dances for local Thai and Angelinos every year. The festival is a nice way to showcase some local Thai talent from the LA area. You have performers from local university Thai clubs(UCLA and UCI), local students from the Thai temples in the LA area and some of the Thai groups and clubs in the LA/Hollywood area. Pros: Thai cultural awareness, located up on the hill of Barnsdall Art Park(away from the hustle and bustle of Hollywood below), a nice view, lots of shade and trees, some concession stands and local vendors, arts and craft booths, music, arts and dance displays and even a Muay Thai demonstration(MC’ed by my sister from the UCLA Thai Samakom). FREE admission, free shows, you do pay for the food and gifts you buy though. Cons: Too many guest and honorary speakers before the Thai tradition dances and show(we left early, sorry), the Thai food wasn’t so tasty and was expensive(BBQ chicken stick was under cooked and the fried rice was burnt), and there was not enough parking. If there was more advertisement around Thai Town or maybe in the newspaper, more Angelinos including myself would probably come out to the Thai Cultural Day every year. It seems like the Songkran Festival reigns every year and the Thai Cultural Day is the redheaded stepchild of Thai festivals in Thai Town Hollywood. A nice festival to bring out your friends and family to support the Thai community and the only Thai Town in the US.