Celebrating Words Festival — Tia Chucha’s

Tía Chucha’s Centro Cultural held its 21st annual Celebrating Words festival on May 30 at the Global Green Generation campus in Pacoima, according to the organization’s event page. The free event ran from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and centered on arts, literacy and family programming, with performances, workshops and a large book giveaway. We Like L.A. listed the festival among its Los Angeles weekend picks and described it as a free-admission event hosted by Tía Chucha’s Centro Cultural & Bookstore. ### When and where did the festival take place? May 30, 2026 was the date listed by Tía Chucha’s for this year’s festival, with programming scheduled from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. inside the Global Green Generation campus in Pacoima. A separate ticketing page for the event also listed the location as Vaughn G3, 11200 Herrick St., Pacoima, California 91331, and said attendance was free. We Like L.A. included the event in its May 29-31 weekend guide for Los Angeles and identified it as the 21st annual Celebrating Words Festival. (tiachucha.org) The site said the festival was hosted by Tía Chucha’s Centro Cultural & Bookstore in Pacoima. ### What did people get at the event besides performances? Tía Chucha’s said the festival included a giveaway of 1,000 brand-new books for all ages in English, Spanish and bilingual editions. (tiachucha.org) The organization said the books were intended as a literacy resource and were available on a first-come, first-served basis, with one book per person while supplies lasted. We Like L.A. highlighted that same 1,000-book giveaway in its event listing. (welikela.com) The publication also described the festival as focused on artistic exploration and literacy. ### Who was on the program? Kalpulli Temachtia Quetzalcoatl was listed for the opening ceremony at 3 p.m., followed by DJ Linda Nuves at 3:30 p.m., according to Tía Chucha’s program page. (tiachucha.org) The same schedule listed performances by Mariachi Rey de America at 3:50 p.m., Erika Stormm at 4:40 p.m., El Rio at 5:25 p.m. and Irene Diaz at 6:25 p.m. The festival page also laid out hands-on activities across themed areas. (welikela.com) Those included an “ICE OUT!” bracelet and whistle activity with Meztli Projects, a postcard station featuring a design by San Fernando Valley artist Hood Van Gogh, a Scribble Art Bot activity by Kaminos STEAM, a seedling activity with TreePeople, circuitry-based name tags with DIY Girls, and zine-making with Boyle Heights Arts Conservancy. (tiachucha.org) ### Was it designed for families and low-cost attendance? Tía Chucha’s and the ticketing page both described the event as free. The organization’s broader events page says its major events include all-age programming, and its Celebrating Words listing describes the festival as an outdoor event with music performances, creative arts workshops, book giveaways and a resource fair. (tiachucha.org) Tía Chucha’s says its mission is to serve the Northeast San Fernando Valley through ancestral knowledge, the arts, literacy and creative engagement. The nonprofit also says it operates the only independent bookstore in that part of the valley dedicated to books tied to native culture, history and community healing. ### Where can readers find what comes next? Tía Chucha’s events page says the organization runs year-round programming including open mic nights, a monthly book club, Mexicayotl sessions and seasonal mercadito events. (secure.qgiv.com) The same page says future major events include an anniversary celebration in September and Winterlandia in December, while festival updates and event details are posted through Tía Chucha’s website. (tiachucha.org) (tiachucha.org)