THIS LAND IS ... Community Festival

Watch short films and hear from young filmmakers inspired by The Huntington’s gardens and collections.

Presented by Japanese American National Museum

Experience a sweeping documentary about the life of visionary artist-activist Nobuko Miyamoto, followed by a live talkback with Miyamoto and director Tadashi Nakamura.

Step into the circle and learn about Obon, a Japanese Buddhist tradition of ancestor remembrance, expressed through dance, music, collective movement, and its contemporary reflections.

Join the circle and experience Son Jarocho, a lively Veracruz tradition pulsing with rhythm, call-and-response singing, and joyful community expression.

Jump into the circle and experience West African drum and dance: a vibrant, high-energy tradition rooted in powerful rhythms, storytelling, and deep ancestral connection.

The experience culminates with Bambutsu No-Tsunagari (10,000 Things All Connected), a song co-written by Nobuko Miyamoto, Martha González, and Quetzal Flores of Quetzal, a work carried and celebrated by communities across the globe.

Groove to the rhythms of Afro-Latin jazz, soul, and R&B with The Neighborhood Orchestra, a pioneering ensemble known for its innovative approach to music, community engagement, and cultural storytelling.

Enjoy folk music performances inspired by the spirit and legacy of Woody Guthrie, featuring contemporary artists whose work reflects the power of storytelling, social connection, and American roots music. Performers to be announced.

Join us for some high-flying entertainment as professional kite pilots from the San Diego Kite Club paint the sky with kites, then stop by the Huntington Art Gallery to see Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography. 

Learn all about utilizing plants as natural dyes with textile artist and California naturalist Erin Berkowitz of Berbo Studio. Tie-dye your own bandana and reinvent it with the colors of the Californian landscape.

Create a collage that maps the spaces you inhabit using a variety of materials, including photos, magazines, plant material, markers, and fabric.

What’s your wish for America’s future? Add your voice to a nationwide movement for the 250th anniversary. Visit The Huntington’s Wish Wall or share your wish at onour250th.org.

Join Huntington curators for short conversations around the new “This Land Is…” exhibition and multiyear initiative, and the reimagined American galleries.

Connect with valued community partners and discover how each organization is bringing together diverse perspectives across greater Los Angeles. Community partners include the Chinese American Museum, Japanese American National Museum, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, Self Help Graphics & Art, and The Old Mill Foundation.