MARIKEL Productions, in partnership with International Eye Los Angeles, has announced the winners of the 2025 Los Angeles Carnival on the Shaw Awards Luncheon, held on Saturday, Sept. 27 at Friendship Auditorium in Echo Park.

The inaugural luncheon brought together artists, community members, and local leaders to honor the vibrant performers who lit up LA Carnival on the Shaw along Crenshaw Boulevard this past June. Rooted in the traditions of Caribbean carnival, the festival is a multicultural initiative launched in 2023 to Engage, activate and revitalize businesses along the Crenshaw Strip and in Leimert Park Village.

Local businesses embraced the celebration by hosting “Vibe Spots,” extending the Carnival spirit throughout the community.

The 2025 award recipients of the LA Carnival on the Shaw are:

• Danza Mexica, directed by Janet Velasquez, for Best Drum & Dance Ensemble

• Ko’s Korean Dance Studio, directed by Sue Hee Ko, for Best Cultural Representation

• LA Success Steel, directed by Jules ‘Tinloy’ Sanchez for Best Caribbean Representation

• Samba Los Angeles, directed by Tyler Chen, for Best Audience Engagement

• Anani Cultural Healing Arts, directed by Najara Apraku for Best Youth Engagement Group

• Yael Zareta, for Best Individual Performance of the Roadshow

• Leimert Park Drum Healers, led by Chinedu Udengwu, as an Honorable Mention

Guests were treated to vibrant live performances, including a set by the Leimert Park Drum Healers, which highlighted the cultural richness of Los Angeles’ communities.

Held on June 29, the LA Carnival on the Shaw creates an economic corridor called “The Crenshaw Strip,” turning the area from Leimert Park to the Expo Metro Station into a hub for business. It is surrounded by a multicultural arts and cultural experience, with attendees including masqueraders, revelers, drummers and musicians.

Igniting the next generation, the LA Carnival also has a Youth on Parade, where children show off their talent, creativity, and cultural pride.

For more information about the Los Angeles Carnival, visit losangelescarnival.com.