Rodeo Road to be renamed Obama Boulevard, with festival where he once campaigned

A Los Angeles road will officially be renamed in honor of former President Obama on May 4, City Councilman Herb Wesson announced Tuesday.

Along with the unveiling of the road’s new name, the councilman will host a street festival with music performances, vendors and food trucks at the intersection of the new Obama Boulevard (currently Rodeo Road) and West Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

The name change was first suggested by Wesson in 2017. In his proposal, Wesson noted that Obama held a campaign rally at Rancho Cienega Sports Complex on Rodeo in 2007 when running for president.

Rodeo Road — not to be confused with Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills — is a 3.5-mile residential street in the predominantly African American Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw neighborhood. The street intersects with King Boulevard, “creating one of the most significant African American points of interest in the country,” according to the street festival event site.

Obama Boulevard will further establish a “presidential row” that includes Washington, Adams and Jefferson boulevards.

The President Barack Obama Boulevard festival opens at noon and will include appearances by artists Doug E. Fresh, Yo-Yo, BJ the Chicago Kid and Battlecat. At 5 p.m., Wesson, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Rep. Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) and other city leaders will gather for the street name unveiling.

Attendees can register for free on the event’s website.

alejandra.reyesvelarde@latimes.com

Twitter: @r_valejandra