The 39th Annual Loisaida Festival occurs on the Sunday before Memorial Day; this year it will fall on Sunday, May 24th ,2026.
Loisaida, Inc. continues to celebrate our Puerto Rican roots, Lower East Side immigrant contributions, Latiné and Caribbean heritage, through food, music, theater, art, and culture. Join us and participate in this one-of-a-kind community celebration spanning 6 blocks along the Avenue C – Loisaida Avenue corridor, from 12th Street through 5th Street, in the Lower East Side’s East Village/Alphabet City/Loisaida neighborhood.
Since 1987, the Loisaida Festival has commemorated the community victory that led to the honorary naming of Avenue C as Loisaida Avenue.
The 38th edition, held this year in memory of photographer Marlis Momber—whose 1982 documentary Viva Loisaida! immortalized the neighborhood’s resilience and cultural spirit—drew thousands in joyful celebration. The Festival once again presented its Viva Loisaida! Awards, honoring outstanding community leaders and cultural contributors.
A vibrant afternoon of live performances lit up the Main Stage, featuring sounds from Sonido Costeño, Joe Bataan, Anissa Gathers, Ana Macho, Alma Moyo, and Legacy Women. This year the Loisaida Festival’s Main Stage program was hosted by Giraldo “Jerry” Alvare and DJ Premier.
Festival attendees visited the TheaterLab at La Plaza Cultural de Armando Perez on E. 9th Street and Avenue C. Just across the street, the Francisco “Pancho” Ramos Community Garden came alive with música típica puertorriqueña performed by the beloved old-timers conjunto Los Fascinantes and the Brooklyn-based band Yotoco, drawing crowds into an atmosphere of heritage and joy.
A lively street-level collaboration between the Nuyorican Poets Café and BombaYo added powerful spoken word and traditional Afro-Puerto Rican rhythms to the mix, enriching the day’s celebration with rhythm, poetry, and pride
Loisaida, Inc. is a Puerto Rican multidisciplinary arts and culture community development organization founded in 1978.
The Loisaida Center provides space, mentorship, resources, and opportunities to emerging community leaders, artists, and creators working in diverse disciplines. We promote a vibrant social and community life and serve as community development incubator for self-sustainable projects and entrepreneurial initiatives at the intersections of culture, art, media and technology.
