Photos: Mexican and Central America independence day parades - Los Angeles Times
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Photos: Latino Angelenos celebrate independencia

A woman poses for a photo
A Guatemalan woman wearing traditional garments holds up a Guatemalan doll during the Central American Independence Day Parade.
(Juli Perez / De Los)
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The Mexican and Central American communities of Los Angeles celebrated the independence days of their countries over the weekend across the city with events brimming with food, music and plenty of pride.

El Grito

The celebrations kicked off Friday evening at City Hall in downtown Los Angeles, where more than 5,000 Angelenos gathered to commemorate the 81st annual El Grito celebration.

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The event, hosted by Councilmember Monica Rodriguez, featured a reenactment of the “Cry of Dolores,” the famed call to arms by Catholic Priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla that led to Mexico’s war for independence from Spain in 1810. Among the officials ringing the bell were Rodriguez, Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass.

Music filled Spring Street and the Gloria Molina Grand Park as Mariachi Las Colibrí, Banda Las Angelinas and Las Cafeteras performed.

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For attendee Alejandro Carval of Lake Forest, the event was a good opportunity to ensure his children Cesar and Chantal don’t forget their heritage and culture.

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“A lot of people don’t share with their kids,” he said. “I don’t want my kids to lose it. We have to pass it on, the music, the food, the history. I teach them about Mexican history because they are not going to learn it in school.”

Two women dancing with Mexican flags
Maria Ledesma, left, of L.A. and Leticia Salazar of Hacienda Heights dance with Mexican flags during the annual El Grito outside Los Angeles City Hall on Friday.
(Jill Connelly / De Los)
A band performing in front of a building
Las Cafeteras perform outside Los Angeles City Hall.
(Jill Connelly / De Los)
Men playing trumpets and singing
Banda Machos performs during the 81st annual El Grito.
(Jill Connelly / De Los)
A man wearing sunglasses
Juan Munoz clearly has eyes for Mexico.
(Jill Connelly / De Los)
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A group of people holding Mexican flags
Angelenos celebrate Mexican independence outside Los Angeles City Hall on Friday.
(Jill Connelly / De Los)
Two women standing on a stage
L.A. City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez, left, and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass address the crowd.
(Jill Connelly / De Los)

Central American Independence Day Festival

Many Central Americans celebrated their independence on Saturday and Sunday.

Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua declared independence from Spain on Sept. 15, 1821. Los Angeles celebrated with the two-day Central American Independence Day Festival held at MacArthur Park.

The festivities were punctuated by a parade on Sunday, which kicked off at the corner of West Pico Boulevard and South Vermont Avenue, moved through Pico-Union, also known as Little Central America, and ended at MacArthur Park.

The festival is hosted annually by the Central American Festival Committee.

Benjamin Posada, committee president and an immigrant from El Salvador, says it takes his organization almost a year to prepare for the event — from ensuring it has the proper permits to securing sponsors — but that it’s well worth it.

“To represent El Salvador in another country is to be proud of where we came from,” he said. “We are here. We are alive. And we are stronger.”

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A man holding a drum
A drummer for Bichos Unidos Las Vegas walks in the Central American Independence Day Parade.
(Juli Perez / De Los)
A woman poses for a photo
Jay Medina gets ready for the parade.
(Juli Perez / De Los)
Two young girls stand on top of a float waving El Salvador flags
Two girls stand on top of a float waving their flags at the Central American Independence Day Parade.
(Juli Perez / De Los)
A family holding flags
A Central American family wearing Salvadoran garments holds up half America, half Guatemala flags while at the Central American Independence Day Parade.
(Juli Perez / De Los)
A Guatemalan dancer wearing a traditional outfit
A dancer wearing a traditional outfit from Guatemala poses during the Central American Independence Day Parade on Alvarado Street.
(Juli Perez / De Los)
A man passing a plate of food to another man
Food vendors serve plates to customers at the Central American Independence Day Festival.
(Juli Perez / De Los)
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