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| Feria de los Angeles | |
|---|---|
| Name | Feria de los Angeles |
| Genre | Cultural fair |
| Date | Annual |
| Location | Los Angeles, California |
| First | 19th century (traditional claims) |
| Attendance | Hundreds of thousands (varies) |
| Organized | Various community organizations |
Feria de los Angeles is an annual cultural fair held in Greater Los Angeles that showcases regional arts, music, cuisine, and traditions from across Latin America and the Philippines, reflecting the city's diasporic communities. The fair combines parades, concerts, exhibitions, and marketplaces that draw participants from local neighborhoods, civic institutions, and international cultural organizations. Presentation of folk dances, artisan crafts, and gastronomic stalls has positioned the event as a focal point for cultural exchange among communities linked to Los Angeles by migration, trade, and historical ties.
The fair traces influences to early 19th‑century gatherings in California during the era of the Mexican–American War, California Gold Rush, and the administration of Pío Pico, evolving through waves of migration tied to treaties such as the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and transit routes like the El Camino Real (California). In the 20th century the festival absorbed customs brought by migrants connected to events including the Mexican Revolution, the Philippine–American War, and labor movements associated with entities like the United Farm Workers and leaders such as César Chávez and Dolores Huerta. Civic participation grew with support from institutions such as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Getty Center, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, and immigrant advocacy groups including the American Civil Liberties Union and National Council of La Raza. Programming reflected influences from performing arts organizations like the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Center Theatre Group, and folk ensembles with ties to the Casa de la Cultura networks. The late 20th and early 21st centuries saw institutional partnerships with universities including the University of Southern California, the University of California, Los Angeles, and the California State University, Los Angeles, and municipal involvement from the City of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
Typical offerings include stages programmed with performers connected to the Grammy Awards, the Latin Grammy Awards, and touring circuits associated with promoters such as Live Nation and AEG Presents. Dance presentations often reference companies like Ballet Folklórico de México, Folklórico Los Ángeles de Chavela, and troupes with links to the Kennedy Center. Music genres represented span mariachi ensembles associated with institutions like the Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, cumbia acts connected to labels such as Discos Fuentes, norteño bands influenced by groups like Los Tigres del Norte, rock artists comparable to Los Lobos, and pop performers with ties to Ritmo Latino circuits. Culinary offerings feature stalls inspired by restaurants and chefs associated with establishments like Guelaguetza, Puesto, Gracias Madre, and markets reminiscent of Olvera Street and the Grand Central Market. Artisan markets display crafts in styles related to museums such as the Autry Museum of the American West and galleries linked to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and Self Help Graphics & Art. Family programming may include puppet shows referencing the Bob Baker Marionette Theater and children’s workshops similar to those at the Zimmer Children’s Museum.
The fair operates as a site of cultural continuity for communities with ties to countries involved in events like the Spanish-American War, the Mexican Revolution, the Philippine Revolution, and diasporas from nations represented at consulates such as those of Mexico City, Manila, Guatemala City, San Salvador, and San José, Costa Rica. It intersects with identity politics shaped by figures and movements including Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales, Arturo Islas, the Chicano Movement, and organizations like the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. The fair’s exhibitions reference literary traditions represented by authors akin to Sandra Cisneros and Luis Valdez, while visual arts programming has echoed exhibitions from galleries like the Fowler Museum and curators connected to the Getty Research Institute. Rituals and processions recall liturgical calendars observed by institutions such as the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and community events patterned after celebrations like Día de los Muertos, Fiestas Patrias, and Sinulog. The event functions as a platform for civic diplomacy engaging officials from bodies such as the Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles, the California State Legislature, and municipal cultural affairs offices.
Organizing partners have included nonprofit cultural organizations such as the Mexican Cultural Institute of Los Angeles, Filipino American Service Group, Inc., Centro Cultural de la Raza, and arts nonprofits like Self Help Graphics & Art and the Music Center. Sponsorship historically involves corporate entities such as Walmart, Target Corporation, Bank of America, AT&T, Toyota Motor Corporation, and media partners including Univision, Telemundo, KCET, and KCRW. Philanthropic support has arrived from foundations such as the Gates Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the Annenberg Foundation, and local benefactors connected to the City National Bank and Bank of America. Volunteer coordination often works with civic groups like the Boy Scouts of America, Girl Scouts of the USA, AmeriCorps, and community chambers such as the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce.
Attendance figures have placed the fair among large regional festivals alongside events like the LA County Fair, the Rose Parade, and Nisei Week; estimates often reach into the hundreds of thousands, drawing tourists counted by agencies like the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board and economic analysts from institutions such as the RAND Corporation and the Brookings Institution. Economic impact studies have assessed effects on sectors represented by businesses on Olvera Street, the Historic Core, and districts such as East Los Angeles, Boyle Heights, and Westlake (Los Angeles), with benefits reported to vendors, hotels tracked by STR, Inc., and restaurants measured by associations like the California Restaurant Association.
Primary venues have included civic plazas and cultural corridors akin to Grand Park (Los Angeles), Pershing Square, MacArthur Park, and historic precincts such as Olvera Street and the Los Angeles Plaza Historic District. Satellite events and stages have been hosted at institutions including the Japanese American National Museum, California African American Museum, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, Exposition Park, Dodger Stadium adjacent public spaces, and university campuses like USC and UCLA.
Media coverage is provided by outlets including Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly, Billboard (magazine), Variety (magazine), and broadcast partners such as Univision, Telemundo, KCAL-TV, KTLA, and public radio stations like KCRW. Social media promotion engages platforms operated by Meta Platforms, Inc., Twitter, Inc., YouTube, and content creators affiliated with channels like VICE Media and Complex Networks. Promotional partnerships have also featured travel and tourism campaigns coordinated with entities like Travel + Leisure, Lonely Planet, and the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board.
Category:Festivals in Los Angeles County, California