New Orleans means parades and festivals for many locals, including those who organize Carnaval Latino. The 2013 celebration begins on Friday (Sept. 13) with the Parade of the Americas and continues on Saturday and Sunday with music, food and dancing at Mardi Gras World, which serves as the venue for the weekend gathering.
“I think of Carnaval Latino as a chance to take a mini-tour of Latin America’s food, music and people — and to do it in a fun New Orleans setting,” said event chairman Romi Gonzalez. “Our culture is so diverse, that it’s sometimes a surprise, even for Hispanics.”
It’s the 14th year for Carnaval Latino, which celebrates the Latin American presence in New Orleans — and the community’s long history. The festival website reminds New Orleanians that the city once was designated “Gateway to the Americas” — a label conceived by civic leaders promoting Latin American trade links in the 1950s.
For those seeking fresh perspectives, Carnaval Latino is a smart way to kick off Hispanic Heritage Month. But, of course, it’s also about fun.
The Parade of the Americas is scheduled to roll Friday at 7 p.m. The route was announced in an email from the Krewe of Quetzal, which is organizing the parade.
The floats and marching groups will form at Washington Square Park on Elysian Fields Avenue and proceed down Decatur Street, past Jackson Square. After crossing the French Quarter, the parade will follow Tchoupitoulas Street to Julia Street where it will turn back along Convention Center Boulevard to Harrah’s Casino. There will be a free, post-parade party at Harrah’s Masquerade Lounge.
Carnaval Latino presents music on two stages — one indoor and one outdoor.
Saturday’s music roster features two Mexican groups — Mariachi Jalisco and Los Mismos (who extend the musical legacy of Los Bukis). Other acts include the Cuban-American singer Juan Esteban, and Orquesta Canela, an all-woman brass, percussion and vocal ensemble from Cali, Colombia. Luz Roja also is scheduled to appear.
Mariachi Jalisco will return on Sunday, part of a lineup that includes Rio Grande and the Grammy-winning Puerto Rican merengue singer Elvis Crespo.
“The crowd moves around a lot at Carnaval Latino,” Gonzalez said. “It’s not like Jazz Fest where people camp out at certain stages all day. Instead, people are up and dancing, heading inside to cool off, and wandering from vendor to vendor, tasting the range of food.”
Ten restaurants are represented at the festival. Among the best known are Pollo Campero, which specializes in Central American chicken dishes, and Garce’s, which focuses on Cuban fare. Both of those restaurants are based in Kenner, but vendors come from across the area, dishing up everything from roast corn to Salvadoran pupusas.
“Sometimes it seems that you have to go to Gretna for a good pupusa, but not during Carnaval Latino,” Gonzalez said.
One-day general admission tickets for Carnaval Latino are $15 (advance purchase), $20 at the door. Two-day passes are available in advance only. To purchase, go to the event website at carnavalatinola.com. Children 12 and under are admitted free if accompanied by an adult. Gates open at 2 p.m. both days and the music starts at 3. On Saturday, the fiesta continues until 2 a.m. On Sunday, the party winds down at 10 p.m. Mardi Gras World is located in the Lower Garden District at 1380 Port of New Orleans Place.
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