10th Annual Festival Chapin Los Angeles: Commemorating the Caribbean/Guatemalan roots of the Garifuna people

The largest Guatemalan festival outside of Guatemala!

Saturday & Sunday, August 29 & 30 at Lafayette Park, Los Angeles

Press conference scheduled for Thursday, August 27, 2026

Vesper Public Relations. Los Angeles, CA. August 2026. El Festival Chapin Los Angeles is a nonprofit organization celebrating its tenth anniversary.

We are pleased to announce that the theme of the 2026 Festival Chapín Los Angeles will be the municipality of Puerto Barrios, Izabal, representing the Guatemalan Caribbean and serving as Guatemala’s gateway to the Atlantic Ocean for thousands of tourists, as well as for imports and exports.

A replica of the arch bearing the legend “Tierra de Dios” (“God’s Land”), created by contemporary artist David Olivares, will be displayed during the event. The arch measures 23 feet wide and 15 feet high.

The festival spans a 7-block stretch in the heart of the Guatemalan community at Lafayette Park, operating as a free, two-day public community event where attendees can experience vibrant Guatemalan music, attractive arts and crafts, and delicious traditional food.

A press conference will take place on Thursday, August 27, at 11:00 a.m. at the Ukrainian Cultural Center located at 4315 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90029. Free parking is available at 720 N. Heliotrope Dr., Los Angeles, Lot #3.

As part of the tenth anniversary celebration of Festival Chapín Los Angeles, the Mayor’s Office and the Los Angeles City Council will present a proclamation to the festival’s directors in recognition of their valuable contributions to the community.

This tenth anniversary of the Chapín Festival in Los Angeles will feature the participation of:

Gastronomy:
Food will be available for purchase, including rich and traditional Guatemalan dishes such as: garnachas (similar to a Mexican sope), shucos (Guatemalan-style hot dogs), chicken pepián, enchiladas, and hilachas (shredded beef stew), and much more.

Art and crafts:
Footwear, pottery, jewelry, traditional wear and souvenirs.

Performances and special guests:
As in every Guatemalan event, attendees will enjoy a live performance from the Official Marimba of the Chapin Festival Los Angeles. Mari, a composer and singer of Guatemalan origin; Radio Viejo; Ghetto Living; Miguel Jiménez and his Cumbia Show; Dovella, among other artists and groups.

The Festival Chapín de Los Ángeles, alongside the Guatemalan Olympic Committee, is heading toward the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games to establish La Casa Guatemala (Guatemala House) during the sporting event with which we will have the presence of Guatemalan Olympic medalists, among other Guatemalan sports personalities worldwide.

About Puerto Barrios, Izabal
Festival Chapin Los Angeles seeks to highlight the different towns and cities of Guatemala, and in this tenth edition, we’ve chosen to feature Puerto Barrios, Izabal as the theme of the event.

Puerto Barrios is a municipality in the Administrative Department of Izabal, located in the northeast of Guatemala, featuring a tropical climate and friendly people. It is the country’s main gateway to the Atlantic Ocean, making it a hub for industrial and tourist development.

Participation of the Guatemalan Ministry of Economy:
For the first time, the Festival Chapin Los Angeles will host a group of small business owners, artisans, and providers of different services, who will be sponsored/ supported by the Ministry of Economy of Guatemala, showcasing the goods and services that Guatemala has to offer the United States.

About Festival Chapín Los Angeles:
Chapin Summer Festival Inc. is a non-profit organization based in California that is dedicated to promoting Guatemalan art and culture abroad. The organization’s mission is to provide resources to educational institutions in Guatemala to support the education, health, and well-being of children from less-advantaged households in the country.

We would like to thank our sponsors:
BANRURAL; Telemundo 52; MINECO; Fundación BI; Crezco Desarrollos; Glucosoral; Remesas BANTRAB; Remitly; B&B; World Connection; COMOSA; Municipalidad de Puerto Barrios. Also, with the support of the Nuestro Mundo; En la Mira con K-riño; and the Guatemalan Olympic Committee.

Festival Chapin Los Angeles takes place at Lafayette Park, 625 S. Lafayette Park Pl., Los Angeles, CA 90057; from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Admission is free. Food and arts and crafts will be available for purchase.
Parking: at Athena Parking Lot, located at 611 Carondelet Street (cash or credit card accepted)
Public transportation is strongly suggested

www.festivalchapin.com