Latino music, art, and culture will electrify San Antonians this Sat., Sept. 13, at the Échale! Latino Music Estyles Block Party. The event is the last stop on the Red Bull Panamérika Pachanga Tour and is also hosted by Corona and REI.
Located in the cultural heart of San Antonio at the Historic Pearl Brewery district, the event will take place from 1-6 p.m. and highlight food from local Pearl restaurants Arcade Midtown Kitchen and Cured. Visitors can also expect local artist pop-ups such as local San Antonio artist Cruz Ortiz.
Échale! will feature the best in alternative Latin music from groups including Los De Esta Noche, Clandestino All-Stars, Los Rakas, and Grammy-nominated Bomba Estéreo.
Los Rakas is as bilingual as San Antonio. Comprised of Panamanian cousins Raka Rich and Raka Dun, the band is a “mixture of hip-hop influences with reggaeton, reggae and dancehall,” according to the band’s website.
Bomba Estéreo recently participated in Lollapalooza, and their style is described as “electro tropical” and “psychedelic cumbia.”
Thousands of people are expected to attend, dance, eat, and enjoy San Antonio’s unique Latin culture. Part of a series, Échale! is held several times a year and has featured Latin American artists from Chile, Argentina, Texas, Mexico, and Colombia.
Elizabeth Fauerso, chief marketing officer for the Pearl Brewery, co-created Échale! in 2011 with Richard Garza, who works promoting Latin music.
“We’re both big fans of rock and Latin music, and we felt there was room in San Antonio for doing more,” Fauerso said.
Since it began three years ago, Échale! has been well received by the San Antonio community. As part of a six-part annual series, Échale! showcases Latin music with three festivals in the fall and three in spring. Past events have turned out almost 4,000 attendees.
“The concept is consistent, but the experience is evolving,” Fauerso said. “It’s a true definition of the Americas. There’s such incredible talent and different nuances of Latin Alternative (music). I think San Antonio underestimates itself in terms of our music culture.”
Échale! is free and family-friendly. Past turnouts have seen crowds young and old embrace the event’s artistic and culturally rich atmosphere.
For returning attendees, the location has changed from last year’s spot in the Pearl Park Amphitheater to the parking lot under 281, south of Pearl Parkway, as a result of construction in the amphitheater. The Pearl parking garage and the SAMA lot will both be available for parking.
For music lovers satisfied with what they hear, they can yell their approval by shouting the event’s name.
According to Fauerso, “Échale! is something you yell during a concert when you really enjoy it.”
*Featured/top image: Échale! at the Pearl Brewery. Courtesy of the Pearl.
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