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Comment by Friends of Old Town on July 26, 2010 at 11:11am

6th Annual Old Town Salsa Fiesta—Hot Salsa y Mas!

If you are wondering just how much salsa can be produced in one day, better head to the 6th Annual Old Town Salsa Fiesta on Saturday, August 14, 1:00 – 9:30 p.m. and you will find the answer—a lot!

First, the annual Homemade Salsa Competition which heats up when over 40 locals start cooking, dicing and slicing to make their own secret recipes. At 4:00 p.m., those tantalized by the wonderful aromas will have a chance to taste all of the different entries by purchasing a $4.00 wristband with one important voting tab. Taste, vote, and the top three vote getters will receive $1000, $500 and $250 for first, second and third places.

But salsa isn’t just for tasting, it also gets us moving to the beat! Beginning at 1:00 p.m. musical groups will perform on the Plaza and throughout the patios and courtyards of Old Town, keeping everyone’s energy high as visitors wander through shops and galleries and dine at their favorite Old Town restaurants. A children’s entertainment area at Plaza Don Luis will feature face painting, games, stories and arts and crafts activities—truly something for everyone.

If you just can’t get enough salsa, either the food or the music, just follow your nose and your ears to find the best of both:

Gazebo Entertainment Lineup
1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Changui Son
2:15 – 3:30 p.m. Omar Villanueva Latin Starz
4:00 – 5:00 p.m. Picoso
5:30 – 6:45 p.m. Salsa Dancers Demonstration/Latin Festival Performers
7:00 p.m. Homemade Salsa Competition Winners Announced by Mayor Berry – Gazebo
7:15 – 8:15 p.m. Ivon Ulibarri & Café Mocha
8:30 – 9:30 p.m. 8 y Mas Salsa Band

Headlining the event is 8 y Mas, one of the hottest new bands to burst onto the Latin music scene. The band is the cooperative effort of internationally recognized Latin musicians/producers, and while the band is new, its members are anything but new to the industry. Considered by many to be some of the best musicians in NYC and beyond, the band boasts an impressive group of stellar veteran musicians whose individual achievements are impressive; together, they are a force to be reckoned with. They have played individually, and collectively, with a “Who's Who” of music greats that cover many genres including: Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Ruben Blades, Ray Barretto, Tito Nieves, Marc Anthony, La India, Dave Valentin, Willie Colon, Allman Brothers Band, Grover Washington, Jr. and Spyro Gyro, to name a few.

Patio and Courtyard Performances
Plaza Sombra 1:00–2:00 p.m. Omar Villanueva Latin Starz/2:30-3:30 p.m. Picoso/4:30-5:30 p.m. Terra Trio
Patio Escondido 1:00-2:00 p.m. Terra Trio/2:30-3:30 p.m. Cielo/4:00 – 5:00 p.m. Nacha Mendez Trio
Poco a Poco 1:00-2:00 p.m. Picoso/2:30-3:30 p.m. Nacha Mendez Trio/4:00-5:30 p.m. Cielo
Patio Market 1:00-2:00 p.m. Ganga Bantu/3:00-4:00 p.m. Terra Trio/4:30-5:30 p.m. Changui Son
Hacienda Plaza 1:00-2:00 p.m. Nacha Mendez Trio/2:30-3:30 p.m. Changui Son/4:00-5:30 p.m. Ganga Bantu

There is no admission fee to attend the Old Town Salsa Fiesta. With a Rapid Ride stop at the southeast corner of Central Avenue and Rio Grande Blvd., visitors are encouraged to choose public transportation to travel to the event. For more information, call 311 or visit the City’s website, http://www.cabq.gov/crs/newfun.html. For accessibility, call Relay NM or 711.
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