Print
Email Story
OTHELLO -- American Fiesta Amistad is about building friendships.
The annual two-day event starts today at 5 p.m. in Othello's Lions Park, between east Hamlet and Pine streets.
Organizer Emil Martinez said "amistad" means friendship, which describes the fiesta's goal.
Everyone from farm workers to business owners can meet and socialize, and he said organizers hope to build connections between people that continue after the last band leaves the stage.
The event committee's mission is to create partnerships between the Hispanic and Anglo communities, honor cultural identities and celebrate the interdependency of the two cultures.
The community event is free. Martinez said there also will be information booths and food vendors in the park.
American Fiesta Amistad is designed to be inclusive, he said. And part of that is having music by both Anglo and Latino bands.
Martinez is looking forward to the Tejano Knights, a relatively new band in the Mid-Columbia.
Tejano Knights' mainstay is Tejano music, said Orlando Garcia, the group's lead vocalist and keyboardist. They also play country and disco songs.
They plan to mix Latino and Anglo songs today to match the tenor of the event.
"We have a large mix for everybody," he said.
Garcia said their use of an accordion and keyboard is what's unique about their music. Most Tejano bands don't use both.
Other band members include Teresa Garcia, lead female vocalist, Gabriel Garcia, guitarist, Zeke Galvan, drummer, and Crystal Martinez, accordionist.
Los Emocionantes of Yakima will share Tex-Mex favorites during the event.
Raul Sanchez, band director, accordionist and lead vocalist, said Los Emocionantes play Norteo and Tejana music, two styles of Tex-Mex. The group's name means "The Emotions."
The band also plays rock and country, depending on what people want to hear.
Their music features Sanchez on accordion. He said he can make the versatile instrument sound like a violin, oboe, clarinet or bassoon, and using an accordion with a midi can imitate even more instruments.
The songs Los Emocionantes play all are ones people can dance to, including polkas, boleros and huapangos, said Sanchez, a Yakima school teacher. They play both well-known favorites and original songs.
Los Emocionantes started in 1968, with some members changing over the years. The band includes Lupe Martinez, 12-string guitarist and vocalist; Juan Gonzalez, bass player and vocalist; Ernesto Rodriguez, drummer and vocalist; and Juan Garza, percussionist.
Martinez said American Fiesta Amistad also is about entertaining families with live bands.
w Kristi Pihl: 582-1512; kpihl@ tricityherald.com
