SOUTH LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Today is Cinco de Mayo, the day that commemorates the Mexican Army’s victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla back on May 5th, 1862.
The holiday is celebrated more in the U.S. than in Mexico, but a local place has turned the one-day event into celebrating Mexican culture all year round!
Music is the centerpiece of a Latino party, and this celebration that takes place every first Friday of the month captures exactly that.
“It’s kind of like a throwback to the quinceañeras, a throwback to a wedding. Sort of like the house parties and I think it’s really cool because now it’s helping us reconnect with our roots,” co-founder of First Fridays Fernando Lopez said.
Lopez and his family own The James Beard Foundation Award-winning Oaxacan restaurant Guelaguetza, the most prestigious award in the culinary industry.
The Lopez family is proud of their Oaxacan roots, and they take pride in showcasing the best of their family recipes at their restaurant through authentic ingredients.
They started selling their michelada beverage mix at their cumbia dance parties that eventually turned into First Fridays.
“First Fridays is a celebration of our team and everybody who comes. It’s our bi-cultural identity, right? I was born in Mexico, but I grew up in L.A., and both of those parts live inside of me,” Lopez said.
The event is held at the Beehive in South L.A.
It also features a mechanical bull ride, photo booths, free flash tattoo station, vendors, food trucks and bars where you can buy their signature drinks.
Their Cinco de Mayo celebration featured DJ’s, live bands, a lot of dancing and a michelada man.
“It’s a party in a bottle, and my job here is to be everyone’s dance partner. If you don’t have a dance partner, find me. I’ll dance with you,” he said.
“I’m from Eastern Europe, but all of my friends are Hispanic. I got to embrace the Hispanic culture myself here,” said partygoer James Valeanu from Hacienda Heights.
The music at First Fridays is as diverse as the dancers and the DJs, who have roots in Los Angeles and different parts of Latin America.
“This place kind of represents that duality between us and Latinos. You can go to the DJ warehouse and get reggaeton or maybe get some hip-hop and R&B. Or you can go to the tamborazo stage,” said Maryann Aguirre, who goes by the name of DJ Que Madre.
Their goal is to introduce people to the Mexican culture and give people who are far away from their birthplace a little piece of home here in SoCal.
“When I see people of different cultures and different backgrounds come here, I think it reminds me that we have more in common than apart,” Lopez added.
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