Welcome to our website!
The Laurel Village Association is an all volunteer neighborhood association working to improve and develop the Laurel District in Oakland, California. If you live, work, play or shop in the neighborhood, we invite you to participate. Become a subscriber to the Laurel Village online forum to connect with neighbors on issues affecting the neighborhood. To subscribe, email the newsgroup at laurelvillage-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
The Laurel Village Association holds monthly general meetings in the community room at World Ground Cafe, 3726 Macarthur Boulevard, the last Thursday of every month, 7PM to 8:30PM. On occasion, meetings are held at other neighborhood locations. Meetings are open to the public. Contact Kathleen Rolinson at krolinson@gmail.com for more information.
Contact the Laurel Village Association at: Laurel Village Association.
SUMMER SOLSTICE MUSIC FESTIVAL- Saturday, June 21, 2008
Preparations are in progress for the 3rd Annual Summer Solstice Music Festival, held in the Laurel District neighborhood of Oakland, California. This local music festival is an official affiliate of Fête de la Musique, an international festival of music. Started in 1982 by the French Ministry of Culture, Fête de la Musique, always held on the summer solstice, is celebrated in over 120 countries on every continent around the world.
The Laurel Village Association sponsors the annual music festival. We ask musicians to perform for free, and the festival is free to the public. For all ages, all types of music, all over the Laurel.
See the official Laurel Summer Solstice Music Festival website for constant updates on performers and venue locations, raffle prizes, and sponsors.
To participate as a musican, contact Kathleen Rolinson.To participate as one of the many volunteers needed before and during the festival, contact Shel Wald. And to underwrite this event, please contact Mark Baldwin.
A SPECIAL THANKS TO LAST YEARS PARTICIPATING MUSICAL GROUPS
Name Genre Contact
300 Pounds Dancable Rock www.myspace.com/300pounds
Alyona Marenchuk Classical
Ambassador of Trouts Electronica with horns www.theambassadoroftrouts.com
Anthem Rock/Pop/Alternative/Groove Rock www.myspace.com/anthem2000
Apple Pie Hopes Sophisticated Country Funk www.myspace.com/applepiehopes
Austin Becker www.myspace.com/nitsuarekceb
Bazialani Hip Hop www.bazialinimusicgroup.com
CoverGrrlz Rock and Roll www.myspace.com/covergrrlz
CZ and Bon Vivants Cajun/Zydeco www.czandthebonvivants.com
Damond Moodie RockSoulFunk www.damondmoodie.com
Deadringer Metal www.deadringer666.com
D'Funkd Funk www.myspace.com/dfunkdmusic
Endorsements
Fighting the Villain Indie/Alternative/Progressive/Rock/Pop www.myspace.com/fightingthevillain
Form and Fate Indie/Ambient/Progressive www.myspace.com/formandfate
Gemini Soul Jazz/Pop/Funk www.ajamu.net
George Rutter Pianist
Hal Stein Quartet Jazz www.halsteinjazz.com
Jazz4u Smooth, Acoustic Jazz www.pozosdata.com/jazz4u
Jeff Rolka www.jeffrolka.com
Jonny Mac Contemporary Folk www.myspace.com/sanelunaticproductions
Karie Hillery & Extended Family Poz Pop www.karie.com
Kommando Rock and Roll www.myspace.com/kommando
Lakay Featuring Mystic Man Afro-Caribbean/Latin derrije@aol.com
Lariats of Fire California Honky Tonk www.lariatsoffire.com
Last Orion Rock/Mixed www.myspace.com/lastorion
Mary Parker-Xue
Materia Gris
Mienna Yoo Folk/Jazz/Acoustic www.myspace.com/mienayoo
Mirror Image Pop/Rock/Folk www.mirrorimagemusic.net
Nina Egert
Privies Indie Pop-Rock www.myspace.com/privies
Richard Leon Blues
Silence is Safety Indie/Pop-punk/other www.myspace.com/silenceissafety
Sky Nelson Adult Cont/Acoustic Rock www.skynelson.com
SOL - INOCENCE Rock/Pop www.myspace.com/solinocence
Spurs of the Moment Classic Country/Western Swing cwonkus@starnetdial.net
Steven Gary Acoustic - guitar/vocal www.myspace.com/stevengary
Stragglyrs Folk-rock, Country-rock www.stragglyrs.com
Stratosphere68 Original blues based rock and soul www.myspace.com/stratosphere68
Temple of Roots Dub/ Trip Hop/ Reggae www.myspace.com/templeofroots
The Father, J. O'Brien Acoustic/Indie/Folk Rock www.myspace.com/thefatherjobrien
The Grand Façade Rock/Indie/Pop www.myspace.com/thegrandfacade
The Season of Us Jazz theseasonofus@roadrunner.com
Tony Mayfield
Up on High Youth www.stlawrenceotoole.net
Urban Slack Instrumental Guitar www.myspace.com/urbanslack
Vanessa Beggs www.myspace.com/vanessabeggs
Vertebrae Collection Jazz mdale@mills.edu
Vox Maids Experimental/Folk/other www.voxmaids.com
With Report Punk / Pop - Rock www.myspace.com/withreport
Laurel Parents Group
Because there are so many parents in Laurel Village we have created a new Yahoo Group to manage the messages pertaining to parents of babies, toddlers and preschoolers at Laurel Parents Group . If you'd like to continue receiving updates on monthly playdates, outings and super fun activities for children (and adults) please visit the site and sign up. Or contact Chair Kari Martin by email.
Environmental Enhancement Projects
The Laurel Village Association has adopted the 35th Avenue medians between I-580 and Harbor View in the city's Adopt-A-Median program. Volunteers plant and maintain the medians as an attractive corridor in the Laurel District. We are also active in maintaining the area around 35th Avenue & I-580, in conjunction with the Allendale Park Neighborhood Council. Neighbors have organized to restore the little Peralta Creek park at Wisconsin St. and Rettig Place. Native Environment Watershed Transformation (NEWT) helped remove invasive, non-native plants, planted native plants from the local watersheds and created walkways and seating areas along the creek. A watershed education program directed at local school children has been developed, with more activities planned in the future. Join us during annual Earth Day and Creek-to-Bay Day workdays.
Graffiti is an increasing nuisance in the neighborhood. Laurel resident and Laurel Village Association board member Jo-Ann Maggiora Donivan has adopted graffiti abatement as a mission. She has recruited a crew of volunteers who go out and regularly scrub off or paint over tagging and has informed merchants and property owners on how to combat it. If you would like to join her or learn more about her efforts, contact Jo-Ann at: Laurel Village Association.
Oakland's Laurel District- A History of the Laurel
Curious about the history of the Laurel? Long-time Laurel District resident and East Bay historian Dennis Evanosky has written a history of the neighborhood- Oakland's Laurel District.
Laurel Business Survey Results
In early 2005, the Laurel Village Association conducted a survey of neighbors to determine their top choices for new businesses in the Laurel. While the Laurel Business Survey was in response to potential commercial development at the corner of High Street and MacArthur Boulevard, the responses indicated a strong desire to see a diversity of quality new shops, eateries and other businesses come to the Laurel commercial corridor in general. The number of responses to the survey was tremendous, and they came from residents of the Laurel and of surrounding neighborhoods. Thank you to all who submitted responses. We hope to use the results to influence and promote commercial development in the Laurel. Continue to patronize our neighborhood businesses.
For additional information, see the City Business Profile for the Laurel District, and visit the website of the commercial Business Improvement District Laurel District Association.
(You need Adobe Reader software to view these documents. To download a free version of Adobe Reader, click here.)
