Pura Pachanga at The Cheech
Sunday, June 18, 2023 @ 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Celebrating the first anniversary of The Cheech, Altura Credit Union and The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture of the Riverside Art Museum presents Pura Pachanga, a free, family-friendly outdoor festival for the community featuring art and music. More than 30 artisans and about a dozen food vendors will share their wares, along Mission Inn Avenue between The Cheech and RAM (from Lime St. to Orange St.). Artist demonstrations will take place at The Cheech on its outdoor Zocalo.
On stage, enjoy dance performances by Orgullo Mestizo Ballet Folklórico, Tradición Alegre Ballet Folklórico, and Ballet Folklórico de Riverside and music by Inland Empire musical sensations QUITAPENAS, El Santo Golpe, MILPA, Deladeso, and deejay music throughout the day by the female duo Las Chicas Tristes.
Artisan vendors include CJs Angels, a family of artists – Jose, Annette, and Theresa Armas – who create original fine art and handcrafted art based on Mexican traditions. Man One and Pablo Damas are among the artists who will paint live outside of The Cheech. Food vendors include Tacollynn, which specializes in tacos de canasta, also known as “basket tacos” or tacos sudados. Common in Mexico City, but originating in Tlaxcala, this popular Mexican street food consists of tortillas bathed in oil and filled with various stew fillings (papas, chicharrón, frijoles, adobo), then steamed.
Pura Pachanga is sponsored by Altura Credit Union with support from Bank of America, Itzen Bishop Financial and U.S. Bank. The event is co-produced by artist, curator, and community partner Cosmé Cordova.
ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE
5:30 PM to 7:00 PM – QUITAPENAS
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM – El Santo Golpe
3:15 PM to 3:45 PM – Orgullo Mestizo Ballet Folklórico
2:00 PM to 3:00 PM — MILPA
1:15 PM to 1:45 PM – Deladeso
12:40 PM to 1:10 PM – Tradición Alegre Ballet Folklórico
12:00 PM to 12:30 PM – Ballet Folklórico de Riverside (Aztec blessing)
Deejay music between band sets – Las Chicas Tristes
TICKETS & INFORMATION: Festival admission is FREE. Reservations can be made online for FREE admission to The Cheech and RAM (limited supply). No additional tickets will be available the day of the event, reservations are required to enter the museums. For museum news and event updates, follow @thecheechcenter and @riversideartmuseum on social media and join the museum mailing list by clicking the button below:
QUITAPENAS is one word – all caps, four syllables – all claps, which gives you a taste of the group’s rhythmic contagion. This tropical Afro-Latin combo was born under the warm California sun. They borrow aesthetics from the radical 60s, 70s and 80s. Each song echoes a remix of history and invites one to engage in the liberating evenings of Angola, Peru, Colombia, Brazil and beyond. The name means “to remove worries.” Everybody has a “pena” and the mission of QUITAPENAS is simple: to make you dance and leave you without a worry.
El Santo Golpe translates best to “The Mighty Hit” – that feeling when one experiences a powerful sense of joy, an unexpected punch of happiness when connecting with a song, a rhythm, movement, art, and an experience that brings peacefulness and alegria! This artist collective was created to introduce an original take to the fun world of “Afro-Latin” music, as they borrow influences of rhythms, sounds, traditions, and Folklore from the Afro Latin Diaspora around the world.
MILPA is a collective of multi-instrumentalist, composers, poets, and cultural artist from the Inland Empire (San Bernardino/Riverside) the band explores the world of folkloric rhythms from Jarocho to Conga, Caribe to Angola, Pacífico beats, and tropic rodas. Milpa’s diverse energy has remained rooted to Afro-Indigenous music, poetry, dance, and community since 2009.
Deladeso is the art persona created by Richie Velazquez. Based out of Riverside California, he has been developing his Digital Death and Grime art aesthetic since 2012. As the originator of grime art, he pays homage to those that have molded himself into the “Spookek” that he is today!
Las Chicas Tristes consists of Latinx deejays Brittney Carranza (Benny) and Leticia Calderón (Leti) who are “bound by sound.”