A Knockout of a Celebration: LA Plaza Welcomes Angelenos to its Latest Exhibition, 18th And Grand: The Olympic Auditorium

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Aug 15, 2023, 15:45 ET

Opening Celebration to include two panels with boxing, wrestling, and roller derby legends; extended museum hours; tours of the exhibition; art workshops; and KCRW Summer Night concert.

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Everyone has an Olympic Auditorium story, from watching a championship boxing match to cheering on the Mexican masked wrestlers to slam dancing at a punk rock show. And on Sunday, August 20, 2023, from noon to 10 pm, fans from across Los Angeles can share their own story as they join in a full day of celebration of the opening of LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes' newest exhibition 18^th and Grand: The Olympic Auditorium.

The celebration will include extended museum hours two panels featuring boxing, wrestling, and roller derby legends, tours of the exhibition, art workshops, and a recording booth, culminating with a KCRW Summer Night concert featuring Jungle Fire and DJ Jose Galván, food trucks, beverages, and more. All activities are free to the public.

For nearly 80 years (1925 – 2005), L.A.'s Olympic Auditorium was a focal point for sports and culture in Los Angeles, serving as the home for visceral entertainment and competition. For the multitudes of Angelenos who entered the massive arena or watched a bout on their living room television screens, the Olympic conjures memories of courage, drama, and communal raucousness.

18^th & Grand: The Olympic Auditorium exhibition, which runs through May 12, 2024, is gathered from multiple collections the exhibit features distinctive objects, relics, and images, such as embroidered boxing robes, hand-stitched lucha masks, race-worn roller skates, illustrations, photography, film, oral histories, boxing posters, wrestling programs, punk rock flyers, art and more.

Leticia Buckley, LA Plaza's CEO recalls, "My dad, who immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico in the 50s, recalls fondly the many nights he spent at the Olympic Auditorium. He loves to rattle off the names of boxing greats he was lucky to witness live. Jump forward 40 years, and I'm standing in the parking lot of The Olympic, watching Rage Against the Machine attempt to dismantle a system with a drum beat and a guitar lick." Buckley continues, "I look forward to hearing from fellow Angelenos about how The Olympic rocked their world, too! I'm thrilled that LA Plaza is the home for the world premiere of this monumental exhibit."

"18^th and Grand: The Olympic Auditorium" Grand Opening Program

12 to 5pm - 18th & Grand: The Olympic Auditorium Spotlight Tours
12 to 5pm - Live at the Olympic Auditorium! - Legendary Event Posters | Drop-In Art Workshop
1:30 to 2:30pm – Plática: 18th & Grand and the Mexican-American Experience
2:30 to 3:30pm - Signing by Steve DeBro and Gene Aguilera
3:30 to 4:30pm - Plática: The Olympic Auditorium and the Legacy of Aileen Eaton: Women In Charge
6 to 8pm - 18th & Grand: The Olympic Auditorium Spotlight Tours
6 to 10pm - Onsite Silk-screening with Dewey Tafoya, Master Printer, Self-Help Graphics & Arts
6 to 10pm - KCRW Summer Nights with LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes featuring Jungle Fire