31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
La Onda festival loses major act as Grupo Firme is denied entry to U.S.
Grupo Firme, the chart-topping regional Mexican band based in Tijuana, has canceled its appearance at this weekend's La Onda festival in Napa, after being denied entry into the United States.
The group was slated to headline the closing night of the two-day celebration on Sunday, June 1, at the Napa Valley Expo, but announced the cancellation just days from their festival debut.
'Currently, visas for Grupo Firme ... are undergoing an administrative process at the US Embassy,' the band wrote on Instagram on Friday, May 30. '(It's) a situation that makes it impossible for Grupo Firme to perform at La Onda Fest as planned.'
Festival organizers confirmed the cancellation and announced that rising corrido star Tito Double P will take Grupo Firme's place on the Verizon Stage on Sunday.
Now in its second year, La Onda has quickly become a major celebration of Latin music and culture in Northern California, with more than 60,000 attendees at its debut in 2024. This year's event, which begins Saturday, May 31, boasts major acts such as Marco Antonio Solís, Banda MS, Pepe Aguilar, Ángela Aguilar and Alicia Villarreal.
'There was something missing in the Northern California festival scene — an authentic, large-scale festival dedicated 100% to Latino culture,' said organizer Dave Graham, whose team is also behind the annual BottleRock Napa Valley festival hosted over Memorial Day weekend.
