FESTIVALS & EVENTS : Mariachis Tune In to Santa Ana

Mark Fogelquist sees plenty of encouraging signs on the Southern California mariachi scene.

Not only are there many good professional players and ensembles, particularly in Los Angeles, he said, but there is more activity than ever on the student level, from elementary school through college.

“In certain areas, kids, instead of taking traditional marching band or orchestra, are taking mariachi,” said Fogelquist, artistic director of this weekend’s Fiesta Marketplace Mariachi Festival in Santa Ana. The festival, originally scheduled for May 2 and 3, was postponed because of the disturbances in Los Angeles.

Fogelquist has put together a festival lineup that reflects the diversity of the local scene. Included are a student group from Garfield High School in East Los Angeles and Perla de Jalisco, a Los Angeles-based group whose members are retired from some of the top area mariachi bands.

Then there are some of the best professional mariachi ensembles in the region, including Mariachi Los Galleros and Mariachi Sol de Mexico, both from Los Angeles, and Fogelquist’s own Mariachi Uclatlan, based in Orange.

“L.A. has always been one of the primary centers for mariachi music, going back 30 years at least,” Fogelquist said.

The Fiesta Marketplace festival, now in its third year, has become Orange County’s primary showcase for mariachi music and one of the top mariachi events in Southern California. In addition to musical performances, there will be a street fair with food and game booths.

Mariachi musician and historian Jonathan Clark is coming from San Jose to give a Saturday lecture on the history of the musical form, illustrated by slides from his vast collection of historical photographs. On Sunday, Mariachi Uclatlan will perform at a special Mass at St. Joseph Church in Santa Ana.

Also, four members of the comedy troupe Latins Anonymous will perform both days.

Mariachi Festival

Santa Ana’s third annual Mariachi Festival will be held Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., at Fiest Marketplace The following are some of the musical events and performances slated to be part of Mariachi Festival 1992:

SATURDAY

1 p.m.: Opening ceremony.

1:30 p.m.: Mariachi Estrellas de America.

2:45 p.m.: Mariachi Internacional de Mexico.

4 p.m.: Mariachi Alanos de Garfield.

5 p.m.: Latins Anonymous.

5:45 p.m.: Mariachi Perla de Jalisco.

7 p.m.: Mariachi Continental.

(UCI Ballet Folklorico will perform at 2:30, 3:45, 5:30 and 6:45 p.m.).

SUNDAY

1:15 p.m.: Mariachi Alanos de Garfield.

2:30 p.m.: Mariachi Sol de Mexico.

3:30 p.m.: Mariachi Los Galleros.

4:30 p.m.: Latins Anonymous.

5:15 p.m.: Mariachi Perla de Jalisco.

6:15 p.m.: Mariachi Internacional de Mexico.

7:15 p.m.: Mariachi Uclatlan.

(UCI Ballet Folklorico will perform at 1, 2:15, 5, 6 and 7 p.m.).What: Mariachi Festival 1992.

When: Street fair, Saturday and Sunday, May 23 and 24, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (see schedule for list of musical performances). Historical lecture 11 a.m. Saturday; mariachi Mass Sunday at 10:30 a.m.

Where: Fiesta Marketplace, Spurgeon and Third streets, Santa Ana. The Saturday lecture will take place at Teatro Fiesta, 305-100 E. 4th St., Santa Ana. The Sunday Mass will be at St. Joseph Church, Civic Center Drive and Minter Street in Santa Ana.

Whereabouts: From the Santa Ana (5) Freeway, take First Street west to Spurgeon and turn right to Third Street.

Wherewithal: Admission to festival events is free.

Where to Call: (714) 558-6869.