June 3, 2005 Party Arty You may have heard mention of the downtown Arts District. But where is it? Who lives there? And most importantly — where's the art? Starting tonight, L.A. Art Fest celebrates the district with a weekend full of events. A five spot gets you into the opening reception. Drink beer and get a sneak peek at numerous works. The event space is 20,000 sq. feet, so be careful not to lose your date … unless you want to. Return to the scene tomorrow to immerse yourself in art, indoors and out. Walk through elaborate outdoor installations curated by artist Brian Tortora. Soak in some sounds at the exploratory electronic music stage. Or hit the hybrid stage for art of the performance kind. Hundreds of artists will show and sell. Take a piece of the event home with you by buying directly from the booths on Traction Avenue. But you don't have to buy to appreciate. Just look up to catch a heavenly sight: A 70-foot helium angel suspended over the festival. The work of artist H.P. Trauschke. And for your reference, the core of the Arts District stretches from Alameda to Santa Fe and from 1st to 5th streets just southeast of Little Tokyo — though the exact boundaries are debatable. (It's just a state of mind, man.) This weekend the City of Angels is also a city of artists. L.A. Art Fest Downtown Arts Festival June 3 - 5 Opening Reception: Fri: 6pm until Midnight 405 Mateo Street $5 at the door Indoor/Outdoor Festival: Sat: 11am - 6pm (music continues until 11pm) Sun: 11am - 4pm Traction Ave at East 3rd St Free Admission