Partying in the Streets : Festival: Quarter-million people attend Fiesta Broadway. The annual event celebrates Los Angeles’ Latino heritage.

Until now, Krikor Axarlian had never had time to attend L.A. Fiesta Broadway.

But on Sunday, the Argentine-born businessman was among the estimated quarter-million people who turned out for the downtown street party celebrating Los Angeles’ Latino heritage.

“This is a chance to forget the tragedy of last year and to be happy,” said Axarlian, who is treasurer of Union de Comerciantes Latinos y Afiliados, a business organization founded by Latino merchants and others who suffered losses in the 1992 riots.

The fourth annual fiesta, which featured about 100 Latin American acts including singer Willie Colon and comedian Paul Rodriguez, took over 36 blocks encompassing Broadway, Hill and Spring streets from Temple Street to Olympic Boulevard.

“I think it’s only fitting that at least one day of the year we spend on recognizing the Hispanicness of LA,” said Rodriguez. “After all, people forget Los Angeles is not a Scandinavian name.”

The fiesta was mostly problem-free, with two arrests reported, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. One man was arrested for carrying a gun without a license and a second arrest was made in a gang-related incident, said Officer Don Cox.

About 500 police officers and 500 private security guards hired by organizers roamed the streets during event, which ran from noon until 6 p.m.

This was the first year beer was not sold during the fiesta, organizers said, adding that poor sales, not security concerns, was the reason behind their decision.

Carrying video cameras, binoculars and umbrellas that cast some shade, the crowds jammed Broadway, clustering around stages to hear such performers as Puerto Rican pop singer Marc Anthony.

The Fiesta offered up a broad range of musical tastes from salsa to banda.

“We’re here to see Antonio de Jesus. We just love him,” said Rosa Perez, 25, who was part of a 12-member fan club that carried signs bearing de Jesus’ name and face.

While many stood in long lines to buy elote --corn on the cob-- pan dulce , and to get coupons redeemable for cigarettes and free samples of soap, others sat and took in the party-like atmosphere.

“I’ve never been to the fiesta before,” said Ron Paige, a city sanitation worker on his lunch break. “I guess this is a well-kept secret, but I really like the diversity of it and the music.”

Traffic was snarled throughout downtown as streets were closed. Javier and Alicia Solorzano, like some other visitors, found it easier to cycle to the festival from their home in El Monte.

“I used to spend more time around downtown about eight years ago and there were Latinos then, but nothing like what you see here today,” Solorzano said.

The fiesta was originally scheduled for April 25, but the event was postponed because the LAPD was on alert that weekend as the city awaited the verdicts in the federal trial of four police officers accused of violating Rodney G. King’s civil rights.

Many said the delay meant only that they had to wait a little longer to see their favorite artists.

Event organizers said some artists were forced to cancel their performances after the date was changed, but many others rescheduled.

“We lost some talent and about $100,000 because we had to reschedule,” said Michael G. Martinez, general manager of KMEX-TV, the event’s major sponsor.

Rescheduling may have also cost the fiesta organizer’s a high turnout: Police estimated Sunday’s crowd at 250,000--nearly half of last year’s 500,000.

“We planned on the same attendance because there aren’t a lot of competing events and in our community people don’t go away during the long weekends,” Martinez said.

The event has already become a tradition for some. Porfirio Palmas, 76, returned for the second year from his home in the Westlake area with his daughter Hortencia.

“I like the mariachis because it gets me dancing, but you have to arrive early to take it all in,” he said.

One of the most popular spots was the makeshift scale-model soccer pitch, where organizers of the World Cup, scheduled to take place in nine U.S. cities including Pasadena next year, fielded questions and sold shirts.

“We’ve had quite a crowd come by here, including people from Argentina, Canada, England and, of course, Mexico,” said Dr. Eric Tucker, who was busy providing information to soccer fans. “This reminds me of the carnivals back home (in Trinidad) because of the music and the fact that everyone here seems to love soccer.”