los Angeles’ Centro Cultural Europeo Eureka will host a festive “Glüwein” event this Sunday, December 21st, capping off the ninth iteration of its popular “Café Entrehuertas” series. The free, first-come, first-served gathering pairs a conventional Austrian-inspired hot wine celebration with live DJ sets from Miss Finas Hierbas and Ganzo.the “café Entrehuertas” series has become a vital neighborhood fixture since 2009, fostering artistic dialog and community engagement through a diverse program of lectures and performances.
A winter celebration featuring local DJs and a warm drink is set to close out the ninth edition of the “Café Entrehuertas” series on Sunday, December 21st, at the Centro Cultural Europeo Eureka in Los Angeles. The event, known as “Glüwein” – German for hot wine – is a traditional Austrian winter festival that will be accompanied by special musical sets.
The Centro Cultural Europeo Eureka, located at 8 San Simón Street, has been a neighborhood hub for culture and free expression since 2009. The “Café Entrehuertas” series, designed and organized by the association Cantabria @ Europa and recognized with a grant from the Fundación Santander Creativa (FSC), aims to champion contemporary artistic expression and critical thinking within the San Simón neighborhood.
“As a finale to the cycle, we’re celebrating ‘Glüwein,’ which means hot wine in German, a winter festival of Austrian origin that we’ll accompany with special musical sessions by Miss Finas Hierbas and Ganzo, resident DJs who have prepared pieces specifically for this gathering,” explains Tamara García, the association’s artistic coordinator since 2020. Admission is free, on a first-come, first-served basis.
García describes the event as “an intimate encounter – lit by candlelight – that has become one of the most anticipated traditions of the project.” The series has hosted eleven talks and three musical performances this year, exploring topics ranging from philosophy and history to literature, music, fashion, and contemporary art through the perspectives of experts and emerging artists.
The “Café Entrehuertas” project has expanded its reach through streaming and a blend of in-person and digital formats to attract new audiences. This year’s program included a discussion on the Afro-Caribbean connection in contemporary music led by music critic and DJ Luis Avín, and an analysis of the life and work of artist Maruja Mallo by art historian Lidia Gil.
In October, artist Vicky Kylander explored the interplay of body, perception, and abstraction in artistic experience, while creator Marta Valledor reflected on contemporary conflicts and their representation in art with a talk titled “Your Emotions Will Be Dynasties.” Designer and visual artist Marta Cazalla Briz (Nikita Nipone) also examined fashion from an anthropological perspective, analyzing its role in power dynamics, identity, and resistance.
Alejandro Bombín, a pioneer in glitch art – an aesthetic that embraces digital errors – presented his creative process behind the work “Fantasía fósil.” Musicologist Toya Solís offered a critical feminist and social perspective on musical policies during Spain’s transition to democracy. The series also featured a cumbia expansion in Latin America session with Luis Avín, along with concerts by reggae duo Dos Gardenies and antifascist rap duo Cucarachas Extranjeras.
The talks concluded this week with “Yoko Ono: Against the Wind, Against the Wall, Against the Sky,” a presentation by art historian Marta Mantecón offering an in-depth look at one of the most influential figures in contemporary art. The series’ continued success underscores the growing demand for accessible and thought-provoking cultural events.
*An initiative recognized in the 2025 FSC grant call, specifically in the Culture Trayectoria category, which values proposals with strong local roots.
*Images from the activities courtesy of Eureka.
