On September 17, 2016, the inaugural We Are LA Family Music Festival kicked off with Yo Gabba Gabba, and the fun continued all day long with a host of great musicians including Lisa Loeb, Rachel Platten, and Kevin Costner & Modern West.

Amidst the music, there was rock climbing courtesy of National Parks Service, flower crown making, cape creating, painting, animal habitats, and many more activities presented by fellow festival non-profit partners.

826LA invited festivalgoers to contribute to the Longest Story in the World. It began, as many stories do, on a sunny bright afternoon in Los Angeles. A brown dog named Bernie was trying out for the LA Galaxy! After missing his ride, roller skating down a hill, getting shot in a cannonball into the middle of the field, and fighting against a No Dogs law, Bernie finally tries out and accomplishes his dream of playing for the LA Galaxy. But the story wasn’t over yet!

Read an excerpt of the story to get a taste of Bernie’s adventures:

Uh oh…Bernie was writhing and running around to get the bee out of his shorts. In all the commotion, he kicked the ball….

The ball sailed through the air toward the goal. Bernie held his breath. Everyone stopped — all eyes were on the ball. Would it make it in? He was so close…so close…Bernie closed his eyes and just hoped it would end up in the goal.

“GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOALLLLL!”

We Are LA brought together a community passionate about our city’s next generation, supporting youth-empowering organizations across Los Angeles. Special thanks to 826LA’s friend Lou Loucido for his vision and generosity in hosting such a fantastic festival. 

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We can wait for next year!

Want to get more involved with 826LA? Click here to learn how!

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