Events Calendar
Thursday, April 25th, 2019
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2019 Rose Award honoring Judith Kieffer
You are cordially invited to attend the 2019 Rose Award honoring our Founding Executive Director Judith Kieffer on Thursday, April 25th at 11:00am at the Rose Garden in Exposition Park, 701 State Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90037.
Rose Gardens at Exposition Park 701 State Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90037
July 13-14th, 2019
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2019 Lotus Festival in Echo Park
The Lotus Festival celebrates Asian Pacific cultures with two days of attractions and entertainment in scenic Echo Lake Park. The festivities take place in July when the eponymous flower is in bloom, and the weekend kick offs with an opening ceremony, continuing with live music, a film screening, cultural performances and more.
751 Echo Park Avenue, Los Angeles, Calif 90026
Sunday, January 27, 2019
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2019 Griffith Park Half Marathon & 5K
Half Marathon and 5K road race through iconic Griffith Park, plus an expo with music, local vendors and fun for the whole family! Both courses are USATF Certified! All proceeds benefit Los Angeles City Parks.
4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027
December 2018
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2018 Holiday in the Parks
The Los Angeles Parks Foundation gives out 20 special grants to Recreation Centers throughout the city to support a holiday-themed event for their community.
Los Angeles, California
LAPF in the News
APR 3, 2019
NBC News: Middle School in Watts Gets 9 New Basketball Courts Courtesy of Clippers
Students at Charles Drew Middle School near Watts were treated Tuesday to the unveiling of nine new basketball courts and other upgrades to their athletic facilities that were funded by the Los Angeles Clippers and American Airlines. The Clippers last year opened the first of hundreds of planned public basketball courts across Los Angeles to be renovated over the next three years through a $10 million gift to the Los Angeles Parks Foundation. The Charles Drew Middle School renovations happened because rapper Stix, who grew up in Watts, persuaded the Clippers to also renovate the facilities at the school, Councilman Joe Buscaino's office said.
APR 1, 2019
OC Register: Steve Ballmer, Clippers fixing L.A.’s neighborhood basketball courts
“This is so far and away the largest corporate donation to the city in many, many years, and certainly to the Rec and Parks Department altogether,” said Judith Kieffer, co-founder, special projects for the L.A. Parks Foundation, which is coordinating the multi-stage projects around the busy schedules at each community center, from Van Nuys to Sunland to South L.A. “And it’s been seamless working with the Clippers,” Kieffer added. “They knew their niche – its basketball, obviously – and we have all the public facilities in the city, so why not? Let’s make a match.” Read more here.
MAR 6, 2019
Forbes: As a New MLS Season Kicks Off, How Can We Have More Soccer Fields for Kids?
In 2015, the LA Parks Foundation spearheaded a $10.5 million effort to renovate the 26-acres Ferraro Fields soccer complex. This project – funded heavily by the LA84 Foundation and others – resulted in 171,000 youth having access to the soccer fields year-round, an increase from 7,500 from before the project was completed. Read more here.
FEB 27, 2019
104.3 MyFM: Lisa Foxx discusses 5th Annual Griffith Park Run
On her weekly public affairs radio show, on-air host Lisa Foxx profiles the Los Angeles Parks Foundation and talks to Executive Director Carolyn Ramsay about the upcoming Griffith Park Run and everything that makes Los Angeles' city parks so special. Listen to the story here.
FEB 12, 2019
Marymount High: Community Welcomes "Inspiring Boldness" Speaker Carolyn Ramsay
On Monday, Feb. 11, Marymount welcomed Los Angeles Parks Foundation Executive Director Carolyn Ramsay as a featured lecturer as part of our Inspiring Boldness Speaker Series. Ms. Ramsay oversees the Foundation, a not-for-profit created in 2008 to support the Los Angeles City Department of Recreation and Parks’ efforts to improve urban parks for all Angelenos. Under her leadership, the Foundation has raised over $33 million to fund park projects including Adopt-A-Park, Friends of the Parks, and Donate-A-Bench initiatives. Read more here.
DEC 21, 2018
LA Sentinel: A Christmas Story—What Does Christmas Mean to You?
As we unwind from a politically-charged year, what is everybody up to this Christmas 2018? Recently, the Los Angeles Parks Foundation announced the awardees of its 9th annual Holiday in the Parks Program, which provided $10,000 to parks throughout the city of Los Angeles to put on special end-of-the-year programs. Nearly 40 recreation centers from every corner of Los Angeles applied for the grant this year. The winning events featured a variety of fun activities, performances and food. Read more here.
NOV 29, 2018
Larchmont Chronicle: Parks Foundation to begin second decade with Ramsay at reins
After a career in journalism, environmental advocacy and public service, Carolyn Ramsay has found her niche as executive director of the Los Angeles Parks Foundation. Her office amidst the oak trees in Griffith Park is a perfect setting for the Windsor Square resident, who has strived to bring greenery to her neighborhood and adopted city since she came here. Read more here.
NOV 4, 2018
NBC: Frolic at a Free Harvest Festival at Griffith Park
No news flash is required for what we're about to reveal next, however: November is still a month that sits squarely within autumn, at least in this hemisphere, and it, too, can possess harvest-y pleasures. And one such good time is going to pop up, for free, near the Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round, on Crystal Springs Drive, on Sunday, Nov. 4. So cheers to you, dear Harvest Festival at Griffith Park, as you enter your second annual go-around. Read more here.
OCT 12, 2018
Video: Something for everyone in LA City Parks
See how parks are integrated in our daily lives, 365 days of the year. Watch video here.
OCT 10, 2018
KTLA: SWIM LA helps young boy conquer fear of water
The SWIM LA program offers low-cost swimming lessons to kids around the city. KTLA tells the story of one young boy who was afraid of the water before his lessons, and now he can't get enough of the pool. The story is a heartwarming example of the impact of our community initiatives. Watch the video here.
OCT 8, 2018
Press Release: New Fitness Equipment in Sunland Park
We are so proud to have joined Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez and our many partners in dedicating new outdoor fitness equipment in Sunland Park. This will be a fantastic resource for senior citizens and park visitors of all ages. See photos and more on Councilwoman Monica Rodriquez's Facebook page. Read more here.
OCT 6, 2018
NBC: Clippers, LA Open 1st of Hundreds of Basketball Courts Set for Renovations
Los Angeles Clippers team Chairman Steve Ballmer and his wife, Connie, Friday helped open the first of hundreds of planned public basketball courts across Los Angeles to be renovated over the next three years. Roughly 350 courts will be renovated through a $10 million gift to the Los Angeles Parks Foundation. Read more here.
APR 2, 2018
LA Times: Clippers Foundation to donate $10 million to renovate LA's basketball courts
Ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and in an effort to improve youth fitness and access to sports, the Clippers Foundation will announce Monday a $10-million donation to the L.A. Parks Foundation to renovate all indoor and outdoor basketball courts in city parks. Read more here.
MAR 26, 2018
Press Release: Airbnb Teams up with LA Parks Foundation to Offer Unique Hollywood 'Experiences'
The Los Angeles Parks Foundation announced today that it has joined forces with Airbnb to host a limited number of exclusive events as part of its 10-year anniversary. Two of the City’s Recreation and Park sites, Wattles Mansion and Mt. Hollywood, promise to be engaging and unique for locals and visitors alike heightening enjoyment of these iconic sites. Hosted by LA Parks Foundation, guests can select from multiple dates from April through June to either join hikes in Griffith Park led by former councilmember Tom LaBonge or take a private tour and enjoy tea with a family member of the Wattles Mansion estate in the hills of Hollywood. Read more here.
MAR 8, 2018
LA Sentinel: Leimert Plaza Park To Be Enhanced and Restored
Leimert Plaza Park – located in the heart of the Crenshaw District – will undergo a series of enhancements this month as part of a partnership with the Office of Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson, city of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, the LA Parks Foundation and City National Bank. The enhancements will include construction and installation of an enclosure around the perimeter; restoration of the central fountain; new grass, flowers and plants, a state-of-the-art irrigation system; and general beautification and clean-up amenities. Read more here.
SEP 23, 2017
Press Release: L.A. Unveils State-Of-The-Art Archery Facility To Serve 2028 Olympics
The City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks today unveiled a new, state-of-the-art archery range for the city's archery enthusiasts and future Olympic athletes as L.A. prepares to host the Olympic Games in 2028. The Easton Rancho Park Archery Range underwent an extensive $2 million renovation to replace a smaller, outdated facility with soaring pavilions and four levels of shooting lanes. Read more here.
JAN 7, 2017
Inside Philanthropy: What Has the Los Angeles Parks Foundation Been Up to Lately?
Parks are an essential part of any great city, and there’s an organization in Los Angeles that is solely focused on enhancing, expanding, preserving, and promoting them. The Los Angeles Parks Foundation has recently had a few major successes recently, which is impressive considering that it only employs three full-time staff members. The foundation recently created four new youth artificial turf soccer fields in Griffith Park that have been wildly popular. It also just completed a major overhaul of the formerly gang-controlled Hazard Park in East LA. Read more here.
NOV 3, 2015
CBS: Athletes Dedicate 4 Soccer Fields To Youth Players
On Saturday, October 31st, the John Ferraro Youth Synthetic Soccer Fields were open to the public. LAPF has partnered with LA84 Foundation on this project which will significantly increase player usage and decrease water consumption. Read more & watch video here.
AUG 21, 2015
Curbed LA: Here's Los Angeles's Plan For Running the Greek Theatre Itself
The City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks will be running the Greek Theater with the help of a venue manager in 2016. This is great news for Los Angeles, as our City parks will benefit from proceeds. Read more here.
JUL 23, 2015
KCET: Imagining a Network of Native Plant Nurseries for the L.A. River
The drought is at the forefront of every Californian's mind at the moment. KCET Departures piece on native plant nurseries for the LA River explores approaches and solutions for LA's water crisis. Among them is the Griffith Park Nature Conservancy, a project LAPF has embarked on with its partner, the Nature Conservancy. Read more here.
JUL 7, 2015
LA Weekly: Los Angeles Is Replacing Nearly All Its 100 Grass Soccer Fields With Artificial Turf
In an effort to save water and improve the quality of soccer games in Los Angeles, the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks is replacing nearly all of its grass soccer fields with synthetic turf. Read more here.
