Revelers Delight in Celebration of Latino Culture

Hundreds of thousands of people thronged to downtown Los Angeles on a hot, sunny day to celebrate Latino culture Sunday in a 36-block pre-Cinco de Mayo bash that organizers hope will become a permanent fixture on the city’s ethnic landscape.

The second annual L.A. Fiesta Broadway was held in an area three times the size of last year’s extravaganza, with revelers sampling a variety of entertainment, cuisine and games along a two-mile stretch of Los Angeles’ premier Latino marketplace.

Only a handful of arrests were reported as 500 private security guards and 500 Los Angeles police officers patrolled the event in groups of six or more. Police said one party-goer was stabbed in the back in a gang-related incident near 7th and Spring streets.

There were no arrests for public drunkenness at the event, which promoters said drew 500,000 spectators. But police said the figure was closer to half that.

Still, the crowd remained generally peaceful throughout the noon-to-dusk affair sponsored by KMEX Channel 34, its parent network, Univision, and a Broadway renovation group.

“We Mexicans are a happy-go-lucky people and we love a fiesta, which is just a whole bunch of people having a good time,” said Robert Serrato of the Mexican-American Grocers Assn. “This is a great family affair.”

The large crowds that came together Sunday led some of the organizers to suggest that the L.A. Fiesta Broadway extravaganza could play a lasting role in the city’s cultural life.

“It is our hope the event will grow in tradition,” said Richard Ramirez, Channel 34’s general manager, “so that people begin to look at it like the Mardi Gras in New Orleans, the Indy 500 and the Newport Jazz Festival.”

Although the fiesta is likely to lose money for the second straight year, some promoters nevertheless were already comparing its cultural significance with the highly popular Calle Ocho celebration staged each spring in Miami’s Little Havana district.

But few merchants along Broadway said they profited from the event.

“There are big crowds here, but we’re not selling anything,” said Ernesto Alvarado, a worker at a men’s clothing store in the 400 block of South Broadway. “The good days are Saturday and Sunday, but it’s slow today.”

Another merchant down the street tried to drum up business by hawking T-shirts for no more than $6.

“T-shirts!” he screamed to a steady steam of pedestrians. “Six dollars!”

But there were few takers.

Many of Sunday’s fiesta-goers, who heralded from around the world, came to watch--for free--some of Latin America’s biggest stars on stages spread throughout the area in 80-degree-plus temperatures.

“This is marvelous because it would cost me anywhere from $10 to $30 to see any of these people,” said Yolanda Chavez, 19, of La Puente, who said she came to see Mexican vocalist Jose Jose.

But it was the pounding Latin jazz beat of Poncho Sanchez that attracted Soviet film editor Yuri Fedorko to a mammoth multicolored stage at the corner of 1st Street and Broadway.

“I love the atmosphere, the Mexican culture, the salsa rhythm--and the chicken burritos!” said Fedorko, 26, clutching a video camera to his chest.

“We have festivals in Russia, too, but of course we don’t have Mexicans,” Fedorko said. “Mexicans have something inside, a happiness they show without trying.”

Ostensibly, the $2-million event was designed as a prelude for the city’s annual Cinco de Mayo observance. But it turned into a celebration of anything Latino.

Booths set up to accept donations for earthquake victims in Costa Rica and to help fund educational programs in El Salvador, for example, drew interest from people who were dashing from one scheduled event to another.

Cinco de Mayo marks the victory of a ragtag band of Mexican soldiers against a larger force of French troops near the fortified Mexican town of Puebla on May, 5, 1863. Although the French overtook the city the next year, the victory is celebrated as a symbol of Mexico’s struggle against foreign domination.

That seemed of little consequence by midafternoon Sunday, as adults and children alike were excitedly anticipating the scheduled appearance of Brazilian pop sensation Xuxa (pronounced Shoo-sha), who was making her first concert appearance in the United States.

“Papa, aren’t we going to go see Xuxa?” pleaded one little boy tugging on his father’s sleeve.

“Yeah, yeah, we’ll go see Xuxa,” said the boy’s father. “Xuxa, Xuxa, Xuxa.”

Nearly 20,000 people squeezed in front of the Univision stage to watch the 27-year-old blonde singer, whose real name is Maria da Graca Meneghel. She was accompanied by four “Xuxettes” dressed in white sequined jumpsuits.

An equal number turned out later for the finale at the same stage for a glimpse of Mexican superstar Jose Jose, whose appearance touched off a tussle over a pair of binoculars shared by three sisters from South Gate.

“He’s coming out, give them to me,” said Dolores Martinez, 19.

“He looks perfect,” said her sister Alicia Martinez, 28, peering through the binoculars. “He’s the best.”

One of the afternoon’s emotional moments came when former Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela was honored before thousands of adoring fans at the Channel 34 stage near Broadway and 11th Street.

“I don’t think I deserve this,” he said, “but we are happy to be here.”

He fought back tears as he accepted an award. The crowd cheered.

When the crowds were not at one of the event’s seven stages, they lined up at many of the booths along Broadway to sample the ethnic cuisine or win free T-shirts, cigarettes or a videocassette recorder. Vendors shouted “ tacos de Michoacan here!” to passersby at dozens of food booths lining the center of Broadway.

One of the longest lines was at a booth offering free T-shirts. And it was there that police found a whimpering little boy who had lost his father.

“My dad said, ‘Stay in the line where they give free gifts.’ But they didn’t give them to children,” cried 10-year-old Henry Martinez of Highland Park, who like many other children Sunday was escorted to a central location where children were reunited with their families. “They only give them to big people. Now I can’t find my papa.”

Two Los Angeles police officers comforted the boy as they searched along Broadway for his father.

“Don’t be afraid, Henry,” Officer Randi Tahara said with an arm on the boy’s shoulder. “We’re your bodyguards.”

In some cases, the party-goers chose to stay away from some types of music offered Sunday.

Alejandro Grahame, 39, of Long Beach, was glad to sink his teeth into an order of tacos de carne asada instead of listening to the rock/salsa tunes offered by L.A. Mixers, the opening act at the stage at Hill and 9th streets.

“I’ll take tacos any time over that music,” growled the grizzled-looking native of the Mexican state of Chihuahua, nodding toward the stage where the Mixers were performing.

“My kids love that stuff, but I can’t stand it. After a while, I’ll go get them and take them to hear the real stuff--mariachi music!”

About 10 minutes later, Grahame was seen pleading with his two teen-age sons to go listen to Los Comperos, a mariachi group scheduled to play up the street.

But few could resist the infectious enthusiasm inspired by the sunny skies and bold music.

Nancy Montalvo, 32, of San Diego, had no idea there was a party going on in town when she drove up to a barricade on Broadway. An hour later, she was dancing in the streets.

“This is very nice, very good--I like it!” said Montalvo, swaying to the beat of a salsa band near the corner of 6th and Spring streets.

The last of the day’s stage entertainment ended around 7:30 p.m., giving workers the rest of the night to clear the streets in time for this morning’s commute.

Times staff writer Monica Rodriguez contributed to this story.