P-22 Day, a free festival, honors our region’s magnificent urban wildlife – NBC Los Angeles

Daily chatter in Southern California often revolves around heat waves, June eclipses, the Santa Ana winds and, yes, traffic.

But one of the more enduring topics that easily comes up in regional conversations are the creatures we’ve spotted in our neighborhoods. It seems like every Southern Californian has a story or two about people spotting raccoons or bobcats on hikes, picnics, or even in their own front yards.

Because this place we call home has great urban wildlife energy, and you don’t even have to go into the hills or canyons to absorb it: the vibrant and pervasive energy pulses day and night throughout Los Angeles.

P-22, the beloved and oh-so-missed mountain lion, was a prominent ambassador of urban wildlife energy, and with that in mind, we take the time to pay tribute to him at a special festival each fall.

The P-22 Day Festival will enter its ninth year in 2024 and, as in previous years, the gathering in Griffith Park will serve as the ceremonial conclusion to Urban Wildlife Week.

Stop by this picturesque spot on October 19th to enjoy 24-hour, year-round activities, exhibits, and odes to P-22 and the countless other creatures that live in and around us.

It is also an educational event; The protection and conservation of the animals in our region are at the heart of what is happening.

No feedback is required, just twitch your tail and step into Shane’s inspiration if you want to bask in animal-inspired love.

You’re not far from artist Corie Mattie’s new P-22 mural in Hollywood if you’re looking to create a P-22 themed day trip.

And when you pass under the new Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in Agoura Hills, a wildlife bridge expected to open in just over a year, give or take a few months?

Think kindly of P-22, its legacy, the hardworking construction workers, and all the animal rights activists who make this crossing a reality.