Courtesy photo Adam Paskowitz, 8, catches a wave in "Surfwise." Doug Pray's documentary about a legendary surfing family will screen Friday during the Swerve Festival in Los Angeles.

If you have only a few free hours this weekend, choosing the best time to check out the Swerve Festival might be difficult.

Do you attend the U.S. premiere of "Surfwise," Doug Pray's documentary about a legendary surfing family? Or do you check out Austin's hot psychedelic band The Black Angels on Saturday night? It's just one of a dozen free concerts happening during the festival.

If none of those strike your fancy, you could spend your time silk-screening a T-shirt, designing a skateboard or strolling through an outdoor exhibition featuring West Coast painters.

The Swerve Festival is all about celebrating West Coast culture, from art and film to music and action sports. It's the brainchild of Jonathan Wells, who created and ran RES Magazine's successful RESfest film festival for a decade. He was looking for a new challenge when FUEL TV approached him.

"There already was an X Games and a Vans Warped Tour, but there was nothing that celebrates the cultural impact this (Southern California) lifestyle has on art, music and film," Wells said. "I was given a lot of freedom to pick the types of work — and venues — that would best serve this multicomponent festival."

The three Hollywood venues are Barnsdall Art Park, a scenic expanse that remains relatively unknown to locals; the 400-seat vintage Vista movie theater; and the underground club Echoplex.

Wells, whose forte is film, sought features, shorts and music videos that best fit the overall theme.

"We fought hard to get the national premiere of Surfwise," which was a hit at the Toronto Film Festival," Wells said. "I've followed the work of director Doug Pray for a while. His films include Infamy' and Hype!' (about the Seattle grudge scene). Surfwise' is a perfect fit for Swerve."

The film looks at the life of 85-year-old Dr. Dorian Paskowitz and his wife, who raised and home-schooled their nine children in a camper on the beach and taught them to surf. It will be screened at 8 p.m. Friday at Vista. Tickets are $20.

The festival's art component was curated by writer-filmmaker Aaron Rose, who chose to have artists showcase their works outside at Barnsdall Art Park instead of in a gallery.

The park itself is part of the exhibition. Some two dozen trees are being transformed into listening stations, with hanging headphones playing music and spoken word.

Murals created specifically for the festival will fill the park. Rose also commissioned works from several artists, including Mike Mills, Thomas Campbell, Ed Templeton and Ashley Macomber.

Music fans can rock out to an eclectic mix of bands, chosen by Jennifer Knoepfle, the pop/rock membership director for the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.

"It was not an easy sell, because it's a new festival and the bands don't know what to expect," Knoepfle said. "But once we got two of the acts we most wanted to sign on, it got easier."

Those acts are The Black Angels, from Austin, Texas, and Brazil's Bonde Do Role. The Black Angels will perform at 5:45 p.m. on the lawn at Barnsdall and Bonde Do Role will play at 9 p.m. at Echoplex.

All of the concerts are free, except for the closing act, We Are Scientists, which will perform at 10 p.m. Sunday at Echoplex. Tickets are $5.

Swerve will also offer do-it-yourself activities. Visitors can customize a T-shirt, hat or other clothes at a silk-screen station while skateboard fans can take a workshop on designing a board. An onsite cafe will offer organic food.

"We want to make this a destination festival, so you don't have to leave and come back," Wells said.

With so much to offer, it may be hard for anyone to swerve away.

— E-mail freelance columnist Jeff Favre at jjfavre@yahoo.com.