IN BETWEEN FEST 2025: A Celebration of MENA Creativity in the Heart of Los Angeles

On May 31st, IN BETWEEN FEST returns to Downtown Los Angeles, and if last year’s sold-out debut is anything to go by, this one’s going to be even bigger, bolder, and more necessary.

Created by Between East, the all-day festival celebrates the art, music, food, and stories of the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) diaspora. Not just a lineup of talks or a cool party, the festival is literally a moment. A space where Arab creatives from across disciplines and geographies come together to connect, be seen, and take up space.

What’s Happening

Taking over Rolling Greens DTLA, IN BETWEEN brings together artists, DJs, filmmakers, chefs, designers, and entrepreneurs for a full day of programming that blurs the line between festival and gathering. Across the venue, conversations will unfold around beauty, storytelling, film, and cultural identity, while live DJ sets, immersive art installations, and unexpected brand activations transform the space into something that feels both curated and spontaneous. Local food vendors will serve up everything from comfort to nostalgia, and a marketplace featuring MENA and BIPOC-owned brands offers a chance to support creatives beyond the stage. But more than anything, it’s a place for real connection, where stories are shared without translation and community is built without trying too hard.

Names like Sarah Bahbah, Amber Asaly, Nabil, Cheb Moha, and Charbel Hayek are just a few of the voices shaping the day’s energy. But the vibe isn’t celebrity-driven it’s much rather community-led.

Why It Feels Different

There’s something refreshing about a space that isn’t trying to explain MENA culture, but just lives in it. That’s the energy that Between East brings to everything it touches. Founded by Lena Khouri, the platform is rethinking how the Middle East and North Africa are represented—not through clichés or filtered nostalgia, but through the people shaping the culture right now.

Last year’s IN BETWEEN felt like a reunion and a reset. It offered something many of us didn’t know we needed: a place where we didn’t have to translate ourselves. This year, it’s expanding with more panels, more installations, more people who just get it.

Come As You Are

Whether you’re there for the food, the fashion, the music, or just to be surrounded by people with shared roots and fresh perspectives, IN BETWEEN FEST is one of the few events that manages to feel both intentional and easygoing. No pretense. No passport check at the door. Just a celebration of everything that makes being “in between” feel rich, layered, and full of possibility.

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May 31st, Los Angeles