This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Arts & Entertainment

Artwork Rises From the Water

Friends of Colorado Lagoon brought out the Belmont Shore community for good music, local art.

The Friends of Colorado Lagoon hosted the 3rd Annual Acoustic Tidal Artwalk on Saturday July 16, from noon to 10 p.m. The free event was under the creative direction of Some Things Creative. The event organizers created this event to bring local art, music, education, and natural surroundings to residents of the Long Beach and Belmont Shore community.

“There will be an expected one thousand to fifteen hundred people expected to come to the event,” said event director Timothy Dunham. The event was started three years ago in hopes of creating a liaison between the community and the beautiful landscape of the Colorado Lagoon.

The host of the event, the Friends of Colorado Lagoon, is a band of activist citizens that live along and around the Colorado Lagoon. Many of the members of the organization grew up going to the lagoon before it became heavily polluted. Eventually the group formed to bring awareness to the increase pollution and successfully received grants from Sacramento to aid with the Colorado Lagoon Restoration Project.

Find out what's happening in Belmont Shore-Napleswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Acoustic Tidal Artwalk brought people onto the sandy banks to learn more about the ecosystem of the lagoon in the early afternoon with the science shack. The information booth is step up every Saturday and Sunday from 2p.m. to 7 p.m. Children stopped by and picked up small nets to catch small fish found in the lagoon. They also learned about other sea creatures that can be found in different bodies of water.

The artwork shown at the event was displayed on custom-made wooden art stands that sit along the bank of the lagoon. At dusk, the artwork was surrounded by water as the high tide came in. The creators of the event purposely did this to have the community fixed on the water of the lagoon while they browse the various artworks.

Find out what's happening in Belmont Shore-Napleswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The art walk also had a number of local homegrown bands that played as on the stage set up on the grass. Event goers also had the opportunity to connect with local organizations associated with the lively art culture in the area. 

Please share with us your photos or comments about the event.

Malissa Tem is a member of a team from UC Irvine's Literary Journalism program and has been writing about Belmont Shore this summer. She is also a photographer working for Belmont Shore-Naples Patch.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Belmont Shore-Naples