Los Angeles creates La La Land Day to celebrate film


Mayor Eric Garcetti declared Tuesday a holiday in the city of Los Angeles to celebrate the Academy Award-winning film La La Land. In conjunction with the DVD release of the movie, which includes many scenes of iconic locations in the city, Garcetti will commemorate with festivities on the steps of City Hall Tuesday.

The ceremony will begin at 8 a.m., with a kickoff performance from a local jazz band. Those in attendance have the opportunity to break out their dance moves, as well as at the very end of the ceremony when the band will play again.

In between performances from the jazz band BANDALOOP, an aerial performance group that focuses on vertical dancing, will show their skills. Performers will be strapped into a bungee cord apparatus and hang from wires in front of City Hall, where they will perform dance routines on the side of Los Angeles City Hall.

Based in Oakland, Calif., the group holds open auditions so that individuals with a dance background and interest in vertical dance can learn and eventually perform. For the showcase on Tuesday, the group will perform a medley inspired by the dance numbers featured in La La Land, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The ceremony will also feature a host of guest cameos. While the film’s stars Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone have not said whether they will attend, director Damien Chazelle will be at the festivities along with composer Justin Hurwitz. Also in attendance will be production designers David and Sandy Wasco and choreographer Mandy Moore. Jewelry designer Kyle Chan is also expected to attend, after his shop was featured prominently as a backdrop in the film.

There are plenty of other ways to celebrate La La Land Day without actually being at the official festivities. Southern California residents can tour various filming locations. Because the DVD and Blu-Ray versions will be released on the same day, fans can also sit back and enjoy the film in the comfort of their own home. They can also find a local jazz club in Los Angeles, among many other activities and attractions that protagonists Mia and Sebastian visited.

La La Land Day is only the beginning of La La Land-themed tributes that will stretch well into the summer. Hermosa Pier is installing La La Land-styled lights on April 30 to recreate the iconic film scene with Sebastian singing on the pier. Local parks are releasing their schedules for free viewings of films including  La La Land. Organized tours of film locations are being planned out in future for those who want to explore where the film was shot in a group. On May 26 and 27, La La Land In Concert will take place at the Hollywood Bowl, where Justin Hurwitz will conduct a live orchestra during the screening of the movie.

Since its release in late 2016, La La Land has become an icon of Los Angeles culture and a celebration of the city. La La Land Day is only one tribute to the film’s importance as a symbol for the city, and it is a must-go for lovers of old Hollywood and Angeleno culture.