Boyle Heights came alive on Saturday as hundreds gathered at Robert Vargas Square for a free art and music festival honoring the Los Angeles muralist whose work has become a fixture of the city’s landscape.
The Sept. 13 event, presented by the City of Los Angeles and Council District 14, marked “Robert Vargas Day” with an afternoon of live music, art installations, and giveaways of art supplies and Vans merchandise. Families filled the plaza at 1st and State streets, where community booths and cultural activities created a block-party atmosphere.
One highlight was the “Fernandomania” booth, hosted by Maria Valenzuela, daughter of Dodgers great Fernando Valenzuela. Steve Van Doren, son of Vans founder Paul Van Doren, was also on hand to meet attendees.
Vargas, who grew up in Los Angeles, has long been recognized for his monumental murals and portraits that celebrate local history and identity. His works include “Our Lady of DTLA,” the Ohtani mural, “L.A. Rising” in Little Tokyo, “Heritage and Heroism,” and “Fernandomania” in Boyle Heights. The city previously honored him with “Robert Vargas Day” in 2021 and named Robert Vargas Square in 2022.
Currently, Vargas is working on “Angelus” at Pershing Square, a project that is expected to set a Guinness World Record as the world’s largest mural by a single artist. Just weeks ago, on Aug. 27, Project Angel Food unveiled his three-story piece “Nourishing the Community” at its Vine Street headquarters, depicting a matriarchal guardian holding corn and produce to symbolize nourishment and care.
At Saturday’s festival, many attendees posed for photos under the street sign marking Robert Vargas Square and lined up at the expo booths while music filled the streets. Organizers said the event was intended not only to celebrate Vargas’ artistic impact, but also to bring neighbors together around creativity and community pride.
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