Latest news with #FestivalChapíndeLosAngeles
Los Angeles Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
‘A place to celebrate ourselves': A music festival in Riverside moves ahead despite ICE fears
Despite the continuous presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in cities around California, organizers in Riverside have decided to forge ahead with the third edition of the Mucho Gusto Music Festival, an event held in the downtown area that's billed as 'a celebration of music without borders.' The announcement comes as other events catering to Latinx audiences across Southern California have been forced to implement extra security measures because of potential ICE raids, or have been postponed altogether. Levitt LA, which organizes an annual summer concert series at the Levitt Pavilion in MacArthur Park, announced earlier this month that it was prepared to change venues if needed. Festival Chapín de Los Angeles, a popular two-day celebration of Guatemalan culture held in the Westlake neighborhood, has been postponed from late August to mid October. Authorities have arrested more than 2,700 individuals since the raids began in June, according to Homeland Security. Many of the immigration enforcement operations have been carried out in predominantly Latinx neighborhoods and cities. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 54% of Riverside's population identifies as Hispanic or Latinx. 'It's important right now that we put our money within our local economy to support each other,' said Eduardo Valencia, Mucho Gusto's artistic director and one of the founders of the festival. 'We [needed] a place to celebrate ourselves … to be in a space that really celebrates the fact that we are [a diaspora of] people, that we are people from other countries who immigrated [to the U.S.],' he added. This year's all-ages festival will be headlined by two bands that blend cumbia rhythms with psychedelic melodies, Tropa Magica and Combo Chimbita, as well as jazz band Brainstory. Cosme Cordova, owner of art gallery Division 9 and co-organizer of the festival, said that he believes the ICE raids are bringing people together. 'People are gathering and becoming stronger and more educated about the laws and the rules,' he said. Mucho Gusto organizers are hiring private security and will have two officers on site to ensure a safe space for the community. '2025 is the year of arts and culture in Riverside,' Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson told The Times. 'Riverside loves its festivals; they represent the heart of our community, bring people together, and celebrate the cultures that make our city unique. Our focus is, and will always be, on ensuring that all public events in Riverside, including Mucho Gusto, are safe, welcoming, and inclusive for everyone.' In a Facebook post from June 12, the chief of police, Larry Gonzalez, said the department will not enforce immigration laws and is dedicated to 'protect the members of [the Riverside] community.' 'The trust we've built with our residents and businesses matters deeply to us, and we remain firmly committed to your safety and well-being,' he added.
Los Angeles Times
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Festival Chapín postponed due to concerns surrounding ICE raids
Organizers of Festival Chapín de Los Angeles have postponed the beloved annual Guatemalan cultural event due to growing concern over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities in the area. Hosted by Chapín Summer Festival Inc., the two-day festival was originally scheduled for Aug. 30 and 31 but will move its activities to Oct. 11 and 12. The location of the event, Lafayette Park in the Westlake area of Los Angeles, will the same. Now in its ninth year, the festival that stretches across eight blocks is a treasured community event for those of Guatemalan heritage and more in the Los Angeles area. There are more than 454,000 Guatemalans living in California. 'This decision aims to ensure the safety and well-being of all sponsors, collaborators, staff, and attendees,' the organizers said in a press release on Tuesday. 'Your safety and the integrity of our event remain our top priorities.' Festival Chapín de Los Angeles is not the only event experiencing hiccups this summer. The Levitt Pavilion Los Angeles recently resumed its summer concert series after canceling its first performance of the season on June 21 due to ICE raids. Neighborhood Fourth of July events like the Bell Gardens and East LA Rockin' 4th of July celebration were canceled this year citing ICE concerns. Gloria Molina Grand Park's Summer Block Party, which was originally set for July 4, was also postponed to later this summer for similar reasons Since early June, aggressive ICE sweeps have stirred fear in local immigrant communities. According to the Department of Homeland Security, close to 2,800 people have been arrested in L.A., with most raids conducted by heavily armed and masked agents. While the community has responded with protests, fear of these mass immigration sweeps have also led to shifts in cultural programming, but there could be some temporary relief underway. Last Friday, a federal judge issued an injunction that would restrict immigration enforcement tactics in Southern California. However, the Trump administration, which has vowed to 'launch the largest deportation program in American history,' fired back on Monday with an appeal to resume its mass deportation efforts across the region. For Walter Rosales, president of Chapín Summer Festival, it has been difficult to witness the terror inflicted on the Latino community. He's been keeping up with news about the ongoing immigration raids and wanted to ensure that attendees, as well as organizers and participating vendors, felt safe to attend. '[I feel] sad because we've seen how they've violated the rights of each person,' said Rosales. 'It hasn't been done through the legal channels or in a correct manner. It's rather abusive.' For Rosales, Festival Chapín de Los Angeles is an opportunity for Guatemalan residents to nostalgically travel back to their roots through gastronomy, culture and art. According to the official website, the yearly event typically reels in an estimated 80,000 people across the two days. 'There's people that need their community, no?' he said. This year's theme centers on the Guatemalan highlands of Chichicastenango, where the sacred Mayan manuscript known as the Popol Vuh was found; the text details the Mayan creation story. The festival will also celebrate Tecun Uman, a Kʼiche leader and Guatemala's official national hero who resisted Spanish colonization — likely a symbol for the plight immigrants face today. 'Hopefully by October, things would have calmed down,' said Rosales. The festival organizers said they will monitor the situation and keep the public informed on any developments or changes to the festival.
