Isla Vista’s ninth annual Chilla Vista will feature hip hop-infused indie surf rock trio Radical Something along with local Isla Vista bands Junipero, Ultraviolet, Adventure Dogs and Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus this Saturday in the Greater Anisq’ Oyo’ Park.

Hosted by the Associated Students Isla Vista Community Relations Committee, the annual spring festival will also include free food from the Isla Vista Food Co-op, a yoga demonstration and guest performances by a UCSB a cappella group and Laughology.

According to IVCRC External Chair Elizabeth Akman, the organizing and planning of the event was a collaborative effort between A.S. Program Board, the External Vice President of Local Affairs Office and the Community Affairs Board. Akman said the festival aims to highlight Isla Vista’s unique culture by showcasing local artists and organizations.

“IVCRC is aiming to bring Chilla back to its roots this year,” Akman said. “We want to celebrate all things Isla Vista which is why we are featuring local bands, committees and food.”

Off-campus Senator and Senate liaison for IVCRC Kaitlyn Christianson said the event aims emphasize sustainability by using a solar-powered stage and offering environmentally-friendly activities.

“It will be sustainable and we’re choosing a lot of different things to make it zero-waste this year,” Christianson said. “We always have local bands playing, and a lot of different groups on campus and different organizations from the community come out, table and allow residents to know more about their different resources.”

According to Christianson, who helped organize last year’s Chilla Vista, the festival had nearly 50 organizations tabling at the event, ranging from A.S. and community groups to various nearby businesses. The festival regularly sees hundreds of attendees and relies on volunteers to keep the event organized.

“We probably got 30 plus volunteers to come out last year. Every year, the event evolves a little bit and involves fine tuning,” Christianson said. “We got 500 plus people last year for sure because we ordered that many shirts and they were out by the first two hours. The amount of people that attended started anywhere from 700 people and up.”

Christianson said Chilla Vista provides a positive space for students during a busy time of the quarter and offers prime relaxation for the entire community.

“I think that one of the things I love about it is that there are so many people that come out and obviously they’re not just students. It’s interesting to see how much the event has developed and how many organizations have been here from the beginning and still come,” Christianson said.

Along with further incorporating the IV Co-op into Chilla Vista, Christianson said the event will stress more community involvement this year, going beyond just university-related organizations.

“This year, we’re trying to make it more community involved … It’s all about community and reaching out to students and community members,” Christianson said. “But IVCRC has done a good job this year including local bands and groups.”

The event will last from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. and is open to all UCSB and community groups, provided that the group provides some sort of zero-waste interactive game or activity.

The IVCRC is also looking for volunteers who are interested in face painting or giving henna tattoos, with all supplies provided by the club. Volunteers as well as groups that are interested in tabling can still secure a spot by emailing ivcrc.as.ucsb@gmail.com

 

 

 

A version of this article appeared on page 5 of the May 9th, 2013’s print edition of the Nexus
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