Festival-goers this year can party under the moonlight

For Yoram Gutman, the Israel Independence Day Festival is a yearlong effort.

“The minute one festival ends, I start working on the next,” said the Reseda businessman, who has served as the festival’s executive director since 1994.

This year’s festival, which celebrates Israel’s 60th birthday at Woodley Park on May 18, is expected to be a larger, more extravagant affair than in years past. Organizers anticipate more than 50,000 Israelphiles to attend the festival, which is adding three hours this year, stretching the celebration from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

“Last year we had 30,000 people participating, but this year, because Israel is celebrating 60, we hope to see more people,” Gutman said.