When Fiesta Broadway takes over downtown Los Angeles in a couple of Sundays, it will have a decidedly more diverse complexion thanks to the influx of full-time residents to the city’s core.
The Latino marketing event is the largest street fair in the country. It brings about 500,000 people and 100 corporate sponsors downtown for a 36-square-block party.
“In the past, the crowd was 95 percent-plus Latino, but as you might imagine, the demographics of downtown are changing,” said Peter Bellas, co-founder of All Access Entertainment Inc., the company that organizes the event in conjunction with the city of Los Angeles.
“I always said you don’t have to be Irish to enjoy St. Patrick’s Day, and you don’t have to be Latino to enjoy Fiesta Broadway. I’m glad to see we’re including, not excluding, the newly arrived residents to downtown.”
Traditionally, corporate sponsors participated in the event to reach Latino consumers. While the audience shift might lessen the impact of that effort, the sponsors will still come out ahead, according to Hector Orci, founder of ad shop La Agencia de Orci in West Los Angeles.
“If people attend, it’s because they enjoy it, and the brands that are there get the benefit,” said Orci.
This year’s Fiesta will take place Sunday, April 27. Major sponsors this year include AT & T;, State Farm, MTV, Burger King and KWHY-TV (Channel 22). Booths start at $5,000, but many companies either rent multiple booths or take a large area in the middle of the street. For example, Disney has an inflatable Magic Kingdom castle, ESPN holds a sportscaster contest and Albertsons sets up a promotional supermarket where all the product samples are free. No alcohol or tobacco sponsors are permitted.
Financial support from sponsors allows organizers to present free concerts by top-name talent. This year’s star is singer Pilar Montenegro; in years past the event has featured Marc Anthony, Selena, Paulina Rubio and Thalia.
As for downtown’s part-time residents the legions who commute to work there many of them arrive at the office Monday morning and never realize they missed the party. That’s because the police close the streets at 8 p.m. Saturday, and organizers must build the stages and booths, host a half-million people and dismantle the entire operation by 6 a.m. Monday.
