Fiesta Fever Suggestion

With the big three-day weekend of Fiesta La Ballona only 48 hours away from launching — starting at 6 p.m. on Friday at Vets Park — I have a suggestion for next August when Fiesta turns 56 years old. Plan one highly visible event for each weekday. That way, when the “weeklong” Fiesta is promoted, there will be more truth in advertising and more fun. Three Fiesta-related events are scheduled today for late afternoon and early evening. There’s an Orchid Fever Tour at 5, an Ivy Substation Tour at 6, and three separate tours of The Culver Studios, at 5:30, 6 and 7. Those are nice. But what is Fiesta about them? Fiesta has evolved excitingly in the past five years, but it needs to continue to expand. I would love to see the parade of the earliest years restored. I keep hearing that the three-day weekend and the four previous weekdays need a far greater emphasis on the educational and entertainment aspects of Our Town’s cultural heritage. For next year, why not stage one strongly thematic event each just below my office window in the Culver Hotel? Where better than the town square? By this date next year, construction of The Culver Studios’ new showcase building and the magnificent plaza will be well under way. Make Our Town feel, sound and look like Fiesta La Ballona from Monday through Sunday instead of confining the sizzle in the celebration to the final three days. Meanwhile, Thursday’s schedule offers the following Fiesta tours: at Steve Ehrlich Architects at 5, at NPR West at 5:30, and the Historical Society’s tour also at 5:30. In the Courtyard of City Hall at 7 o’clock, Thursday’s Summer Sunset Music Festival concert will spotlight Latin rhythms and Argentine rock, starring Los Pinguos. Check out the entire weekend of Fiesta by turning to the ad on the right side of page 1 today…

Fair Warning About Family Health

For the following information, we are indebted to Ross Hawkins: Free health screenings for the entire family and an opportunity to adopt a pet will be offered n Sunday, Sept. 17, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Greater West L.A. Chamber of Commerce Bow Wow Meow Pet Expo in Brentwood. You can find them on San Vicente Boulevard, between Barrington and Gorham. The health fair and pet expo is being held in conjunction with the Brentwood Arts Festival. Besides being cat and dog adoptions, there will be information on spaying, neutering and the very modern concept of employing a microchip. L.A. Dogworks, Bamboo, Doggie Central, Petco, 9-1-1 Vets, and Home Pet Medical Care and Transport are sponsoring the expo and health fair. For information, call MaryAnn Roca at 310.829.9100 or John Slowick at 310.481.0600…