Fiestas Patrias con mucho sabor
Por Pablo J. Sáinz

Entre la raza de San Diego quizá no haya otro evento más tradicional de Fiestas Patrias que El Festival del Grito, presentado cada año por las estaciones de Univision Radio.

Desde 1999, este festival gratuito, que se realizará el domingo 13 de septiembre en el Embarcadero Marina Park South, se ha convertido en sinónimo con la Independencia de México en el condado.

“Es toda una verbena popular”, dijo el año pasado Milton El Jarocho Andrade, locutor de 106.5 FM, una de las estaciones patrocinadoras. “Hay mucha actividad. Es una tremenda oportunidad de celebrar las Fiestas Patrias como se celebra en muchas partes de México. Es un evento mexicanísimo, donde la gente puede sentirse orgullosa de ser mexicana”.

Este año la parte musical estará a cargo de Banda Carnaval, Jorge Valenzuela, Mariachi Divas, entre otros. Siempre con un enfoque familiar, El Festival del Grito tendrá un área infantil con entretenimiento directo de Disneyland.

“Como cada año, los mexicanos en este condado manifestaremos nuestro orgullo y con alegría nos uniremos a las celebraciones patrióticas que tienen lugar alrededor del mundo”, dijo hace tiempo Remedio Gómez Arnau, cónsul general de México en San Diego, con motivo de las Fiestas Patrias. “Como siempre, recordar nuestra historia, nuestra cultura y honrar a nuestros héroes es motivo de fortaleza e inspiración para trabajar por un futuro mejor”.

Mientras que El Festival del Grito ya es tradicional, hay otro evento que está haciendo su luchita por ganarse el gusto de la gente.

El Third Mexican Parade & Latino Festival, programado para el domingo 20 de septiembre en Sherman Heights.

El Mexican Parade & Latino Festival tendrá música en vivo y ballet folklórico, danzantes aztecas y un desfile comunitario.

La Casa de México tendrá un evento de Independencia el viernes 18 de 6 p.m. a 8 p.m. en Spreckels Organ Pavilion, en Balboa Park.

“Celebremos ser mexicanos y mexicanas, pero hagámoslo todos los días, poniendo en alto el nombre de nuestro querido México dando lo mejor de nosotros mismos en todo momento por medio de nuestras acciones y actitudes”, dice Bertha Hernández, presidenta de la Casa de México, una organización sin fines de lucro que se dedica a promover la cultura mexicana y que está luchando por tener su propia casita en Balboa Park.

Concerts Help Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at Local Libraries

The Chula Vista Public Library will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with two free concerts in September. Latin Grammy-nominated, famed classical guitarist Roberto Limón will perform at the South Chula Vista Library, 389 Orange Avenue, on Thursday, September 17, at 6:30 p.m. TINKU, a well-known San Diego band, will bring their Andean melodies to the Civic Center Library, 365 F Street, on Wednesday, September 23, at 6:30 p.m.

Limón performs internationally in concerts with orchestras and as a solo artist. He was general director of the Orquestra de Baja California for 10 years and is the founder of the Festival Hispanoamericano de Guitarra, an annual guitar festival in Tijuana. The celebrated artist will feature music by several of the most renowned Latin American composers. Aside from concerts with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, he has performed throughout Europe, Asia, the Czech Republic, Russia, Central America and the Caribbean.

San Diego band TINKU specializes in Andean, Latin, Folk and World Music. Their library concert will feature a variety of authentic Andean instruments highlighting the unique traditional sounds, including pan flutes, South American string instruments, percussion, and vocals. The band’s musicians are recording artists and multi-instrumentalists, including two former members of the San Diego Youth Symphony. Founder and director, Francisco Astudillo, established TINKU in 1995, and is the band’s lead vocalist and flute player, while also adding his talents on twelve other instruments. Astudillo’s musical abilities led to an appearance as a contestant on the national television program, “America’s Got Talent.”

Environmental Health Coalition
35 Years of Justice Calls For a Party

For 35 years, our communities have cultivated environmental justice and built healthyhoods. Today, our neighborhoods are safer and healthier places to live, work and play.

Please join us for a celebration of all the work you’ve done to make a difference in the past 35 years.
Saturday, September 12
Cesar Chavez Park
11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
No RSVP required
Food, fun and live music provided
CSUSM Welcomes Native American Performance Artists, Sept. 12

California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) welcomes acclaimed Native American artists James Luna and Sheila Tishla Skinner in ISHI: The Archive Performance on Saturday, September 12. The performance will begin at 5:45 p.m. in the Arts Building Room 111, following a 4:30 p.m. reception where audience members may meet Luna and Skinner.

ISHI is a new work written by Luna that explores the story of Ishi, who was claimed to be the last known member of the Yahi, a group of the Yana people in California. Studied by anthropology professors at the University of California, Berkeley in the 1910s, he was mistakenly characterized as the “last wild Indian,” and treated as a curiosity by the public until he died from tuberculosis in 1916. Luna and Skinner’s performance involves archival videos and photos, a scrolling narrative and powerful monologues that give a voice to Ishi today.

“The Archive performance brings forth native perspectives on Ishi’s legacy and the era of history he experienced,” said Joely Proudfit, associate professor of American Indian Studies and director of the Center for Indian Culture and Sovereignty (CICSC).

“Native perspectives were commonly overshadowed by historians, anthropologists and others who romanticized and sensationalized Ishi’s story. Dr. Luna’s performance gives a voice to survival, adaptation, cultural integrity and the power of healing with humor.”

Queen Califia’s Magical Circle Open this Saturday

Queen Califia’s Magical Circle in Kit Carson Park (3333 Bear Valley Parkway) will be open to the public this Saturday, September 12, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Queen Califia docents will be on site to answer questions.

Queen Califia’s Magical Circle is the only American sculpture garden and the last major international project created by French artist Niki de Saint Phalle (1930-2002). Inspired by California’s mythic, historic, and cultural roots, the garden consists of nine large-scale sculptures, a circular “snake wall” and maze entryway, sculpturally integrated bench seating and native shrubs and trees planted within the interior plaza and along the outer perimeter.

The 8th Annual Brazilian Day San Diego Brings a Line Up Full of Attractions

The Brazilian Day San Diego coming in your way with a full line up of musicians and dancers, and attractions for the whole family, Sunday, September 13th from 11am to 7pm.

The Brazilian Day San Diego will once again bring the spirit of Brazil to the heart of San Diego’s iconic beach town, Pacific Beach or “PB”. This year, the event takes place on Sunday, September 13, 2015 from 11am until 7pm, between Bayard St. and Everts St. in Pacific Beach. The event provides a day for the entire community to come together to embrace the cultural flavors, sounds, and arts of Brazil. Two stages full of attractions will bring some of the best Brazilian artists and performers throughout California, and several artists direct from Brazil.

The Aquarela do Brasil stage will have eight bands plus the “bateria” (drummers) of Brazilian Day San Diego. The samba dance stage will bring the multi-talented choreographer Slleyk showing “O que a Bahia tem” (What the Bahia has) with her moves and the newest trend of Afro-Brazilian dance; the versatile group Deseo will perform rhythms from Salsa and Latin to authentic samba. As one of the main attractions Brazilian Day San Diego will also feature a Parade inspired by the quintessential carnival parades that take place each year throughout the diverse regions of Brazil. The parade is scheduled from 3pm to 4pm will turn Garnet Avenue into a stage filled with vibrant floats, extravagant costumes, and contagious rhythms.

Bonitafest Twilight Trail Parade and Street

The 2nd Annual Bonitafest Twilight Trail Parade will take place Friday, Sept. 18. It will form up at 5 p.m. at the Sunnyside Saddle Club Equestrian Arena in Rohr Park. It is open to all who want to participate. Paraders may ride horses, peddle bicycles or walk. The parade starts at 6 p.m. and circles the 3.1-mile Chula Vista Municipal Golf Course riding/hiking trail as the sun sets. Participants are encouraged to bring glow sticks or small flashlights.

The 43rd Annual Bonitafest Street Fair and Performing Arts Festival is Saturday, Sept. 19 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Bonita Vista High School in the shaded parking lot at the corner of Otay Lakes Road and East H Street. Admission and parking are free.

The event will feature food, art and services from an array of diverse South County vendors. There will be plentiful activities for teens and children. The Performing Arts Festival features show choirs, dance troupes and musicians from SUHSD schools. The BVHS Music Machine and Sound Unlimited are the headliners.

Rincón Literario, Bilingual Book Discussion Group, Meets at Escondido Public Library

Rincón Literario (The Literary Corner), Escondido Public Library’s Bilingual Book Discussion Group, will meet on Saturday, September 26, 2015, from 3:30 – 4:45 p.m. in the Turrentine Room. Esperanza renace/Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan, is the selected title for September. Multiple copies of the book are available for check out and may be reserved in the Library catalog at library.escondido.org.