There wasn’t a Topanga Days Country Fair this year, but the canyon’s musicians came together online to celebrate the spirit of the community. The response to the call for submissions was amazing.
The Topanga New Times’ Musical Community Event on Memorial Day was DJ’ed by Brian Chapman, and live-streamed on Vimeo and Facebook for more than four hours. The featured Topanga musicians included Colin Hay, Cecilia Noel, Miguel Perez; Deb Ryder; The Blue Dolphins; Melanie Kareem; The Lost Tribe; The Chants; Friends Of; Gabbi Beauvais; Yosmel Montejo; Kelp Dwellers, The Nations, Sam Small, Stacie Burrows, and many more. (You can see a more complete (we hope) list of participants along with their contact information here.)
A total of 30 artists contributed nearly 80 videos. The live-streamed music event inspired canyon dance parties and became the soundtrack for the day in homes around Topanga and all over the country, as almost 3000 people tuned in.
Topanga New Times extends heartfelt thanks to all of our neighbors who took the time to submit performances and who participated in the live stream. The outpouring of community support is a heartening reminder that while the coronavirus pandemic is keeping us apart physically we can still come together as a community.
The live-streamed event drew enthusiasm from the community.
“What an awesome event!” wrote longtime Topanga resident Matt Doolin. “Thanks Topanga New Times, Brian Chapman and All the Incredible Musicians, so many of you! Very Cool!”
“Blasting this entire thing through a PA so all my neighbors can hear,” commented Giovanny Blanco.
“This is wonderful!!! Giving me life today! Thank you to everyone involved! Xoxoxoxo,” contributed Vanessa Waters Kassir.
“This show is fun because I live in the most creative place in the world,” Chapman responded in the comments. “Big love, peeps.”
“This was our way to share a little canyon spirit,” Topanga New Times founder Bonnie Morgan said. “That’s our mission.”
The Topanga Country Fair is the major annual fundraiser for the Topanga Community Center. While the event didn’t take place, TCC continues to serve the community during this difficult time, providing meals and assistance to our seniors and vulnerable residents. If everyone who enjoyed the Topanga New Times’ Musical Community Event would consider donating or renewing their membership to TCC, that would help this vitally important organization get through this difficult time and ensure that there will be a 2021 Topanga Country Fair. Learn more and donate at https://topangacommunitycenter.org
The Topanga New Times’ Musical Community Event can be viewed on the TNT Facebook page @topanganewtimes and has a permanent home at topanganewtimes.com/tntv
