Live painting is one of the featured acts at Tarfest. (photo courtesy of Tarfest)

The 17th annual Tarfest music and art festival is returning to Hancock Park at the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum on Saturday, Sept. 14, from noon to 7 p.m.

The festival, hosted by LAUNCH LA, celebrates Los Angeles culture, local artists and musicians with DJ performances, live painting, art installations, a Lagunitas biergarten and cocktail lounge and food trucks.

The free festival is open to all ages and will be held at 5801 Wilshire Blvd. The Tar Pits and Museum, which is run by the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County, will offer free admission to Los Angeles County residents from 1 to 5 p.m.

“Tarfest has been part of the L.A. community for over 17 years, remaining as an annual event through massive changes that have transformed the city,” said LAUNCH LA founder James Panozzo. “This festival is about giving back to the community by preserving what’s best about the art and music of L.A., while providing fuel for the amazing new cultural developments happening here.”

New this year is music provided by three KCRW DJs, instead of bands: Raul Campos, Jeremy Sole and Valida.

“We are really excited about that,” Panozzo said. “In the past, we have always had live music, so we had an opportunity to collaborate with KCRW and thought that would be a great opportunity. KCRW and their DJs mean so much culturally and musically to the city.”

Another addition this year are the art installations.

Free access to the Second Home Serpentine Pavilion by SelgasCano will be available all day. “What Wood You Build” by Susan Feldman and “Ox” by Cynthia Minet will also be on view. Site-specific works by Ramiro Gomez will note the immigration crisis and family separation that is taking place at the border.

Attendees can also immerse themselves in large-scale live painting sessions from Johnny KMNDZ Rodriguez and Mr. B Baby in the park. Tarfest offers free kids art-making and cultural activities with Japan Foundation, Los Angeles, Fusion Academy, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, the Petersen Automotive Museum and Metro. Intergenerational hip-hop and breakdancing collective Justice by Uniting in Creative Energy will host art and dance workshops. Face painters, balloon artists and more complete the event.

The 21-and-older crowd can enjoy the Lagunitas biergarten and cocktail lounge featuring selections from Lagunitas Brewing Company and 6th & La Brea Brewery, a specialty cocktail from Tito’s Handmade Vodka and Ryder Estate Wines. Food trucks will include Baby’s Badass Burgers, Rice Balls of Fire, the Deli Doctor, White Rabbit Truck and Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream.

Panozzo encourages people to attend to discover local artists and spend time in the neighborhood, which is undergoing changes in the coming years, including the opening of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, the renovations to LACMA and the Tar Pits and Museum and the new Metro line.

“It is a great opportunity to co-mingle with friends and neighbors and celebrate all the things that we have in common and be thankful for here in L.A.,” Panozzo said. “The Miracle Mile is an amazing neighborhood. People come from all over the world to visit it, and it is right in our backyard, and we are very lucky and honored to be able to have this type of event in this really unique and beautiful greenspace.”

For information, visit tarfest.com.

This article was updated at 12:20 p.m. on Sept. 13 to reflect that the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum will offer free admission to L.A. County residents from 1 to 5 p.m.