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Show CELEBRATE Festiwal brings Hispa nic and KIRSTEN SHAW and the salsa sensations, Ritmo Caliente, will play in the City Park. The fifth of May singer and songwriter, and her fivepiece band will return to Park City, is a historic day blending musical styles as she sings for Mexico—and for the country’s relations with the United Park States. City’s Anglo cultures together COURIER STAFF Batalla,- For this upcoming reason, Cinco de CINC® a Mexican-American in Spanish and English. Her influence ranges from Mexican folk to poetic, passionate blues. After the release of her newest album, the singer was touted by Billboard Magazine as a “sultry chanteuse who sang back-up for Mayo festival perfectly encompasses and embraces community’s two the mountain ptomibebt cul- iday, but it’s a fun time.” Weiss said it was touching to see tures. On Housing Trust, was the festival’s mastermind. In response to Park City’s expanding Hispanic population, Weiss decided to welcome the community with Cinco de Mayo festivities in the late 1990s. “We got together because we felt as a community we needed to show our Hispanic community we appreciated them,” said Weiss. “Cinco is an example of Caucasian and Hispanic communities coming together. We knew it was a very Americanized hol- this day in May the large groups of people gather, adorned in Mexican regalia, walking down the street towards the event. The second year drew 700 people. | After a few years, the event fiz- of 1862, Texas-born General Zaragosa and his calvaries awaited France’s pompous - Napolean IIl’s advancing troops. The Mexicans were zled and disappeared. victorious. Historians Then came Jeff Mann. The new City Councilman wanted to embrace the Hispanic culture, so he contacted Weiss and the two say the defeat of Napolean in the battle prevented him from supplying confederate rebels during the civil war. The American Legion of Honor marched in a victory parade in Mexico City. Since then, the relationship between Mexico and the United States has been strong. began brainstorming ways » the celebration back to life. “T felt a family-oriented event in a park known to both communities would be well attended and enjoyed,” said Mann, inspired by a distinct racial boundary he experienced in Park City’s festival, which runs from noon until after 5 p.m., will cele‘brate the Batalla de Puebla with music, dancing, songs and soccer. The Park City High School and Treasure Mountain Middle School bands will jazz up the day, followed by his home state, Tennessee. “I did not PHOTO COURTESY ECCLES CENTER. Songstress Perla Batalla Sister Maryanne’s Dance Group. Mexico’s cherished sport—soccer—and volleyball games are planned, as well as face painting and children’s games such as _ threelegged races—including pifiatas! More than 10 food booths will be open offering reasonably priced fare. Antique automobiles and motorcycles will adorn the streets. KPCW will do a live feed of the event all day. As the~ afternoon warms up, so will the music. Songstress Perla Batalla will perform at the Eccles Center. A Tex‘Mex band known as Grupo Felizidad to bring Leonard Cohen, k.d. Lang and others.” She has received praise from Anglo and Latin communities. “A kick-ass salsa-merengue band with a horn section that kicks butt” is how Ritmo Caliente’s Tony St. Claire describes the 13-piece band. The musicians hail from all over the’ world, including the Dominican Republic, Peru, and Venezuela. “We try to make it better and better as we go along,” said St. Claire. “We were invited by Shelly. I said, ‘fantastic —we'll show and _ play music, bridging the gap with music and culture.” Shelly Weiss, who works with the Hispanic community and the Mountain Lands Community want there to be a time where we look back and go, ‘wow,’ we could have done something.” “T love this program. I feel lucky to do it. Its a cool outreach for the Caucasian community, as well,” Weiss said. “I see people really wanting to get to know the Hispanic community. I’m really impressed with the sweetness of this outreach. That’s the stuff people don’t hear about in Park City. They hear about Hispanics cleaning toilets for rich, white folks.” .~ Mann concurred. “Right now we're at a great opportunity to start doing something to have involvement as one communi.’ Mann concluded. “It is such an interesting vibrant culture, it would be a shame if we weren’t able to embrace it and appreciate it.” |
