L.A. FIESTA BROADWAY : Latino Music to Fill Streets in Third Fiesta Broadway

When Broadway in downtown Los Angeles is transformed into a backdrop for the third annual L. A. Fiesta Broadway, the pre-Cinco de Mayo celebration of Latino culture, the usual sounds of everyday hustle-and-bustle on the city’s shopping street will be gone.

Instead, Broadway, Spring and Hill streets downtown will come alive to the sounds of Latino music. Organizers of the 36-block extravaganza agree that the Sunday, April 26, event, the fiesta’s third outing, will stand out from its predecessors because it will have more music everywhere.

“Every single street will have music. It will take the energy level up,” said Mike Martinez, general manager of TV station KMEX Channel 34, the producer of the free event.

In addition to the powerhouse stars--including Mexican ranchera singer Lucha Villa, salsa performer Willy Chirino and a host of others, who will be performing on the seven stages along Broadway--strolling musicians and “musical islands” will lend a fiesta ambience and beat to the street party. “So it will definitely be a street street festival,” said Mario Proenza III, the show’s executive producer for the third straight year. “We felt that we needed the extra atmosphere.”

Proenza described what fiesta-goers should expect: “All of a sudden, you’ll be standing there, and a salsa band will pop out of a side street. A strolling trio will pass by . . . a mariachi group will perform in front of the Million Dollar Theater.” About 25 roving entertainers will weave throughout the area. Several musical “islands” with bands will dot the city streets.

Music will not be the only activity on the street during the noon-to-dusk fiesta that is expected to attract about 1 million revelers. There will be booths serving food from carne asada to Salvadoran treats to hot dogs, a sports exhibition center, a health and beauty fair, a mini-carnival with rides and games, and a play park for the kids. But KMEX’s Martinez says that despite all of the action, it will not be a hodgepodge of activity.

“It will be stylized, well-executed. It has a Hollywood feel--it will be uniquely L. A.,” Martinez said.

Proenza compared the fiesta to another popular street fair, Calle Ocho in Miami. “That has more of a carnival-type feel. The L. A. Fiesta has a feeling of its own--it’s a well-organized event, more cohesive,” he said, pointing to the color-coded banners, and the way the fiesta is divided into four themes-- la cultura, la comida, la familia, la fiesta .

Indeed, the event is becoming associated with Los Angeles. The once-fledgling festival has caught on, Proenza said. “People are starting to recognize thA. Fiesta Broadway as a major event. It’s taken on a life of its own. The word’s out, not only from a sponsorship standpoint, but the people in the community, the talent, they all know about it, and they’re getting excited.”

And that is a major feat for festival organizers, who had to overcome the bad reputation of previous downtown street fairs. The L. A. Street Scene, another music festival, was marred by stabbings and the death of a fan in 1986.

Still sensitive to the problems of the past, Proenza and his crew at KMEX have made safety a high priority. A private security force of more than 500 will patrol the area, and the city of Los Angeles, a co-sponsor of the event, plans to send about 500 police officers.

To Adolfo Nodal, general manager of the city’s Cultural Affairs Department and liaison in coordinating city services for the fiesta, the event’s family-oriented programming is key to ensuring safety and preventing any incidents. “The programming makes people love each other instead of kill each other,” he said.

Family programming is certainly a rallying cry for Proenza. Like the past two events, this year’s fiesta will cater to families in the activities planned and the talent scheduled to appear. “Our philosophy is that a family goes to the fiesta together and sticks together,” he said.

The talent, the thrust of the fiesta, will appeal to all ages. By staking out any given stage on Broadway, a family will be able to see acts that run the gamut from folkloric dance troupes and traditional balladeers to groups offering musica ranchera, nortena and rock in Spanish.

Another focus for Proenza is showcasing new talent. He said that this year a Mexican group called Magneto, which appeals to teen-agers, is “really, really hot--on the verge of exploding. We’d like to think that appearing at the L. A. Fiesta will help them get more exposure. How often do you get a chance to participate in one of the largest events in the world?”

The mix of talent will come from a variety of places. Although the focus is Mexican, a dozen other Latin American countries will be represented, including Colombia and Brazil. Still, Proenza says local talent dominates the event--almost 50% of the acts will be Los Angeles-based.

With world-class entertainment playing in a safe environment, the fiesta has become a source of pride for the local Latino community. “This is how we want to represent ourselves to other communities,” Martinez said.

The festival also encourages pride in the downtown area. Miracle on Broadway, a group devoted to revitalizing the downtown district, is another co-sponsor of the event. It received a $30,000 donation from KMEX last year and $40,000 this year.

“The fiesta has caught on beyond my wildest dreams,” said Estela Lopez, Miracle on Broadway’s executive director. “It helps people recognize that Broadway is a true treasure of shopping and entertainment, and that it isn’t just one day, it’s 365 days a year.”

The atmosphere of Broadway--a historic street full of old theaters and stores--is as important as the atmosphere created by the fiesta planners. At the fiesta, families can share memories of the historic street. “Grandparents can bring grandchildren back to the street where they saw Pedro Infante play,” Martinez said.

The TV specials taped on the stage at Olympic and Broadway that KMEX will sponsor with its parent network, Univision, will help expose L. A. Fiesta Broadway to an even larger audience. A 60-minute special will be taped to air on KMEX on May 9, and a two-hour Univision special will air May 17 to affiliates nationwide and in 15 Latin American countries.

KCBS, Channel 2, will broadcast a live, 90-minute special starting at 4 p.m. from the stage it is sponsoring with Coca-Cola.

A pre-fiesta gala featuring celebrities will be broadcast on KMEX at 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 25.

To Martinez, positive exposure is as important as making money on the fiesta--which will cost KMEX nearly $2 million and has lost money the past two years. He said it might take several years to break even, but for now, his vision for the fiesta overrides his concern about money.

“What we hope to see is the event develop a presence for the city and the community--that it truly enhances the reputation of L. A. as a Latino city.”

The fiesta also sends out a message to the non-Latino community. “This event lets the greater community come and see us,” Martinez said. “Our community is youthful, vibrant, family-oriented. Anyone coming to the fiesta can share in that.”