L.A.’s flagship festival for local art and culture is back. The 14th annual TarFest, an evening to celebrate the best of the Miracle Mile community starts at 4 p.m., Saturday Sept. 24. on the grounds of the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum.

Local artists will demonstrate their craft and display their work at TarFest. (photo courtesy of James Panozzo)

The event is free and open to all ages. Families can enjoy a walk through the park dotted with outdoor installations by local artists, groove to music and feast at food trucks serving Brooklyn pizza, burgers, sushi and Mediterranean cuisine.

TarFest founder James Panozzo moved this year’s start time to later in the afternoon to rescue visitors from the daytime heat.

“Last year was really hot. The evenings are so beautiful this time of year, we wanted to capture that nice ambiance,” Panozzo said. “We can have art and dance in the late afternoon while it’s light, and then when lights go down, just enjoy the atmosphere.”

This year welcomes new performers who will join favorites from years past.

“Last year we had Move the World Dance Activism. This year we added (Dance Company) Clairobscur who will also be doing two 3-5 minute pieces on the grass. We’ll have light installations and projector art for really nice visuals to activate the space.”

The contemporary rock band Dear Boy will headline this year’s music lineup, with opening performances by Durand Jones & The Indications, Brit Manor and Braeves. Five DJs are set to perform – Ale, Mitchel Brown, T-Kay, Slayron and Sleano.

“We have a new partnership with Dublab, a local radio station and DJ collective,” Panozzo said.  “The music will be really nice alt-pop rock, there is one southern blues influence band. It’s very accessible. People will be pleasantly surprised.”

Parking is not expected to be a problem, with plenty available on Wilshire Boulevard and side streets once the Tar Pits lot is full. Visitors can park in restaurant lots across the street and validate with a purchase inside. The LACMA parking lot will also be available later in the day.

Once inside, adults can relax at the Laguanitas biergarten or wine bar serving cocktails featuring Tito’s vodka. Children can explore their creative side at art activities and enjoy the growing array of display and performance art by individuals who live and work nearby.

“We’ve always been pleased with the quality but we’re of course interested to expand the artistic programming. Dance is something we’re inspired by and there are a lot of underserved dance companies and performance artists. We’ll always focus on less mainstream art genres in the future, whatever can best be served at the park and the community,” Panozzo said.

While some mega festivals like Coachella and Warped Tour have reached international acclaim through corporate sponsorships and unimpeded expansion, TarFest delivers a community experience at a special venue.

“I’m most proud we’ve kept it free and open to all ages over the years. I really wanted a welcoming environment for the community to enjoy a special venue, which is unique to the world,” Panozzo said. “The setting sets us apart plus the fact that it’s quality programming. They’ll walk away with an artistic and social experience.”