Woodland Hills, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/08/2013 -- After last year’s huge success, thousands are expected to attend the highly anticipated, community-wide www.celebrateisraelfestival.com“Celebrate Israel Festival,” sponsored by the Israeli American Council (IAC), formerly known as the Israeli Leadership Council (ILC), on April 21, from 10:00 am-7:00 pm. The popular event -- the largest Israel Independence Day festival in the United States -- will be held again this year at the expansive and centrally located Cheviot Hills Recreation Center, 2551 Motor Avenue in Los Angeles, www.celebrateisraelfestival.com.

The celebration will begin at 8:30 am with a 1.5-mile “Salute to Israel Walk,” presented by StandWithUs. Enthusiastic participants will join in the walk from the park to the Museum of Tolerance and back to show solidarity with the State of Israel. A salute to Israel drive-by will herald the start of the walk with the 9/11 Tribute Cars “Fueled by the Fallen.”

Legendary Israeli rock band, Mashina, will headline the main stage at the festival at 5:30 pm. The Spazmatics will open the show with a funky, up-beat performance of 80’s classics, followed by the official ceremony featuring local and state dignitaries to take place at 4:30pm on the main stage.

This year’s spectacular Artist Pavilion will showcase 21 Israeli artists who are traveling to Los Angeles from Israel especially for the festival. The hand-selected artists will be showcasing and selling unique jewelry, handbags, paintings, sculptures and various other Judaica. Festival attendees will also have the opportunity to channel their own creativity by painting a color-by-number 16-foot mural of the Tel Aviv coastline, by local artist Tomer Perez.

A noteworthy addition to this year’s festival is the Digital History Tunnel of Israel where attendees can view key highlights of the history of the State of Israel from the establishment of the country until present day.

After revisiting the past, attendees can look toward the future by visiting Israel’s Space IL’s spacecraft model. The festival is excited to showcase SpaceIL, a non-profit organization in Israel whose goal is to make Israel the third country in the world to land on the moon. The organization will showcase a model of the spaceship intended to reach the moon -- a great photo opportunity and historical keepsake for the entire family.

Young families won’t want to leave the KIDZONE this year. Kidspace Children’s Museum is bringing a variety of interactive displays and hands-on experiments that will captivate young scientists. In addition, the children’s area will include an amusement park with rides for all ages, free arts and crafts projects, a kid’s stage with live entertainment all day, face painting, stilt walkers, puppy petting zoo, juggling acts, reptile shows and lots more.

Thanks to the incredible support of Century City business owners, plenty of parking spaces will be available for the festival at discounted rates. Parking lots are located at 2000 Ave. of the Stars, 2030 Ave. of the Stars,10250 Constellation Blvd., and 4000 West Galaxy Way. Shuttles will be provided throughout the day from all parking lots to the park.

About Celebrate Israel Festival
Celebrate Israel's mission is to bridge between communities by celebrating the State of Israel and educating through music, arts and culture. Through the establishment of the Israeli American Council (IAC) the Israeli-American community has organized itself for the purpose of community empowerment, philanthropy, and activism collectively designed to further vital goals that serve the common good of Los Angeles, other major metropolitan cities in which Israeli-Americans live, the United States, and the State of Israel.

For more information, contact Festival Director Adee Drory, at adee@israelileadership.org or visit www.celebrateisraelfestival.com.