The City of San Gabriel will host its annual Play Day at Vincent Lugo Park on May 18 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the corner of Prospect Avenue and Wells Street to celebrate the 54th anniversary of the historic La Laguna de San Gabriel playground with a day of play.

Originally designed by Benjamin Dominguez in 1965, La Laguna de San Gabriel features 14 cement sea creatures embedded within a sea of land. The playground stands as the largest remaining collection of Dominguez sculptures in the world. In recognition of its historic significance, La Laguna de San Gabriel was included in the National Register in 2017 by the State Historical Resources Commission and the Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places.

“La Laguna serves as an important historic and cultural cornerstone for San Gabriel,” said Rebecca Perez, Director of Community Services. “We think it’s important to preserve our history, and we hope Play Day brings awareness to the significance of La Laguna by allowing kids of all ages to enjoy Benjamin Dominguez’s playful sculptures.”

While a select number of critically vulnerable pieces have been preserved as a result of local fundraising, the City continually works with Friends of La Laguna to raise funds necessary to preserve the historic playground. Interested donors are encouraged to visit FriendsofLaLaguna.org for more information.

To celebrate La Laguna, the City of San Gabriel will host a day of play to commemorate the playground. The City invites the entire community to attend to experience Benjamin Dominguez’s fanciful creations with a free BBQ lunch along with food and entertainment from several local vendors and community groups.