Weekend Parade, Music and Food : The Real Mexican Independence Day

Those who celebrated in May what they thought was Mexico’s independence day can do it again this weekend. This time, they’ll be right.

A parade in East Los Angeles, musical programs ranging from salsa to traditional ranchera, and a host of other activities today and Sunday will begin the Southland’s observance of El 16 de Septiembre, Mexican Independence Day.

The observance marks El Grito de Dolores--the call by Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla to peasants in the central Mexican village of Dolores in 1810 to revolt against three centuries of Spanish colonial rule. Although it took 11 years to defeat Spain, Mexicans regard the date of the priest’s exhortation as the day that an independent Mexico was created.

Yet, despite its significance in Mexico’s history, El 16 de Septiembre does not seem to attract the attention north of the border that the Cinco de Mayo holiday does.

Some Latinos have complained that public festivities and organized school activities have inadvertently fostered the misconception that Cinco de Mayo--commemorating the May 5, 1862, victory of a ragtag force of Mexican troops against a superior French army near Puebla--is Mexican Independence Day.

People of Mexican descent won’t be the only Latinos celebrating their independence in the coming days. Five Central American nations--Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica--will observe their independence from Spain on Sept. 15.

In a separate revolution that coincided with the defeat of the Spanish in Mexico in 1821, the Central American region declared its freedom from colonial rule. The area was one country at the time, but political and cultural differences eventually contributed to the creation of the five separate nations.

Among the events planned today and Sunday to mark the Central American countries’ independence is a showing of Mayan art from Guatemala at the new Midtown Hilton Hotel, 400 N. Vermont Ave. in Los Angeles.

But the focus of this weekend’s activities will be decidedly Mexican in flavor.

At Belvedere County Park in East Los Angeles, a two-day program will feature a beautiful-baby contest, a soccer demonstration, games, food booths, carnival rides and musical programs.

A 20-mile bike race, with a $5 entry fee, is scheduled for 7 a.m. today at the park.

Sunday’s activities will include a three-mile parade through East Los Angeles, ending at Belvedere Park, and a special 4:30 p.m. concert highlighted by a rare appearance by Mexican matinee idol Miguel Aceves Mejia, considered to be one of the all-time ranchera singing greats.

Aceves Mejia will be joined on the program by Lola Beltran, a well-known vocalist who also specializes in traditional Mexican ballads, and singer Pedro Fernandez, son of ranchera great Vicente Fernandez.

An estimated 300,000 people are expected to watch the 44th annual 16 de Septiembre Parade when it steps off at 1 p.m. from the corner of 1st and Lorena streets. Television newscaster Linda Alvarez will serve as the parade’s grand marshal.

The parade, sponsored by El Comite Mexicano Civico y Patriotico, will travel along 1st Street, Gage Avenue, Brooklyn Avenue, Mednick Avenue and back to 1st Street, where it ends.

Contemporary music will be in store for visitors to Lincoln Park’s two-day celebration, beginning at 10 a.m. today at the park in Lincoln Heights.

Salsa and Rock

Salsa musician Willie Colon will headline Saturday’s musical program with a 90-minute set at 3 p.m. A local rock favorite, El Chicano, begins the musical fare at noon.

On Sunday, El Chicano will be joined on the daylong program by Los Bondadosos, Tierra and Pandora, a popular Top 40s female group from Mexico City.

Food booths, mariachi music and art exhibits will also be featured at Lincoln Park, organizers said.

Other Mexican Independence Day celebrations in the Southland this weekend will be held at Bristow Park in the City of Commerce, Alameda Auto Plaza in Compton and Olvera Street near downtown Los Angeles.

The city of Los Angeles will begin its official observance of Mexican Independence Day with an El Grito ceremony on the west steps of City Hall at 11 p.m. Monday, following Mexican tradition that it was at 11 p.m. that Hidalgo y Costilla issued his call for rebellion.

On Tuesday--the date of the actual holiday--a Mexican flag-raising ceremony is scheduled at El Parque de Mexico in Lincoln Heights.