Santa Ana Mariachi Festival to Be Canceled, Promoter Says

The promoter of the city’s fifth annual Mariachi Festival and Fair announced the event’s cancellation Monday because of disturbances Sunday at L.A. Fiesta Broadway, the nation’s largest Cinco de Mayo celebration.

In a prepared statement, Festivals West said the festival, with events scheduled for Saturday through May 22, was canceled at the request of the sponsors.

“Under the request of sponsors, (Festivals West) has to cancel the event,” said the statement. The company said it “is sure there is not going to be a reschedule.” Festivals West could not be reached for comment.

Officials of the Santa Ana Library and St. Joseph Church, where some of the events were to take place, said they were surprised when Festivals West advised them of the cancellation.

“We called (Festivals West) back and left them a message asking them if we could still hold the cultural events,” said Margie Jean Owens, library services manager.

An all-day festival had been planned for May 22. The benefits would have gone to the Orange County branch of the Mariachi Heritage Society.

Eighteen people, including six police officers, were injured at the Los Angeles festival, which attracted more than 200,000 people. Ten arrests were made.