Latino Music and Food Will Spice Up Weekend at Gracias ’89 Festival

If your Thanksgiving weekend promises nothing hotter than cold turkey, Pepto-Bismol and TV football, Gracias ‘89, a three-day festival of Mexican food and entertainment at La Palma Park offers three days of spice.

Today through Sunday, this third annual event will feature nonstop performances by 15 Latin groups, carnival rides, product giveaways and food booths selling a variety of Mexican specialties, according to Pancho Fernandez, program director for Riverside Promotions, a Los Angeles-based special-events company that is coordinating the festival.

Gracias ’89 is sponsored by the city of Anaheim’s Parks, Recreation and Community Services department. According to recreation specialist Sue Richmond, the event was introduced in 1987 as part of the city’s effort to reach its growing Latino population. (Recent figures from National Planning Data Corp., an independent research firm, show that about 23% of Anaheim residents are Latino--the second largest population in the county after Santa Ana.)

“Gracias was developed as part of the city’s Vision 2000 program,” Richmond explained, “which is a general plan that helps identify and meet resident needs now and in the future.”

The festival was originally planned to take place in September in celebration of Mexican Independence Day, but a site was not available, Richmond said. Thanksgiving weekend was then chosen because “it’s a good time for a celebration.”

“The whole idea was that we wanted a family event for people to come to, bring their kids, go on the rides, listen to music and eat,” Richmond said. “It’s an opportunity for families to come together and enjoy the day.”

About 20,000 people have attended the Gracias events in previous years, she said, and a similar number is expected this year.

Live entertainment will be featured all day Saturday and Sunday. Scheduled performers include Los Tipicos from the Mexican state of Jalisco, and Chelo Campos y Su Grupos, performing the romantic, tropical music of Colombia. Also featured are Los Rayantes del Valle and Los Leopardes del Norte, playing norteno music popular in the states of Monterey, Durango and Chihuahua in northern Mexico. Disc jockeys from Spanish language radio station XPRS will act as the event’s masters of ceremony.

Gracias ’89 will be open Thanksgiving weekend at La Palma Park, Harbor Boulevard and La Palma Avenue in Anaheim. Hours are today, 6 to 11 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 10 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 9 p.m. The $5.95 admission includes all entertainment and unlimited use of carnival rides. Children under 6 are admitted free. For more information, call (213) 856-5151.