Photo courtesy of the Museum of Latin American Art
Downtown is offering a full plate of fun during Latin Heritage Month. Cheer and jeer during high-flying Lucha Libre matches, dance to live Latin music under the stars, and savor the flavors at Latino-owned DTLB restaurants during Latino Restaurant Week!
The third edition of Latino Restaurant Week officially begins on Monday, Oct. 5, but the party actually starts on Thursday, Oct. 1 with a Kick-Off Event from 5:30 to 9 PM in the Onni East Village Courtyard. This celebration of Latino culture will spotlight signature dishes from Latino-owned restaurants, inventive cocktails, and live entertainment. For tickets and parking info, click here.
These are the Downtown eateries participating in Latino Restaurant Week:
NOVA BAKERY: Located at 865 E 7th St., this spot brings authentic flavors of Venezuela such as Arepas (grilled cornmeal cakes) and Cachapas (corn pancakes) to DTLB.
CONFIDENTIAL COFFEE: Confidential’s House Specials include Mexican coffee treats such as the Mazapan (peanut candy) Latte and the Rompope (Mexican eggnog) Latte. Stop in at 137 W 6th St.
EL VIEJON MARISCOS & SUSHI: The culinary riches of the Mexican coastline state of Nayarit along with cross-cultural touches of sushi can be enjoyed in this restaurant at 201 E Broadway.
FUEGO AT THE MAYA: Cross the bridge to Fuego Restaurant at 700 Queensway Dr. for Latin-inspired dishes! Begin with Esquites, a popular Mexican street food, dig into Feijoada (Brazilian black bean stew), and finish with Dulce de Leche Flan.
DTLB LIVE!: Celebrating Latin Heritage
For the past year, DTLB Live! has invited music lovers, dancers, sightseers, and shoppers to The Promenade between Broadway and 3rd Street to explore the big world of music, arts and culture. The next edition happens on Sept. 19, right on time for celebrating Latin History Month.
A DJ will get the party energy flowing from 4 to 6 PM. This is an EZ Sip gathering, so guests will be free to roam the entire event footprint sipping bevvies from participating businesses while they browse local craft vendors and join the little ones in family-friendly activities.
From 6 to 8 PM, Long Beach singer/songwriter BRIANA will share her original music, backed by a fantastic band of instrumentalists who have performed and recorded with some of the top names in the Latin music world.
This promises to be a complete Latin History Month celebration, but wait!
There’s more: The Arts Council for Long Beach, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, will be hosting its annual State of the Arts celebration from 4 to 8 PM just a block away at Promenade Square Park. It’s a ‘70s-themed affair, so your dancing shoes will come in handy, as will your bell bottoms, halter tops, floppy hats, and mood rings!
LUCHA LIBRE AT THE MUSEUM OF LATIN AMERICAN ART (MOLAA)
As the swashbuckling luchadores are diving off the top rope in the MOLAA courtyard, guests will be doing their own deep dive into the electrifying Latin American cultural tradition of Lucha Libre! MOLAA is devoting an entire long weekend – Friday through Sunday, Sept. 25 through Sept. 27 – to this freestyle wrestling show that is equal parts sport and spectacle.
On Friday, Sept. 25 from 6 to 10 PM, MOLAA will host the launch and opening reception for the book Luchadores Versus Everything. All four authors and a special guest will participate in an artist panel which begins at 6:45 PM. Light snacks will be provided, and cocktails will be available for purchase.
Throughout the evening, guests will be immersed in Enter the Ring – A Journey Through Lucha Libre Cinema, which is an installation of trailers taken from the history of Lucha Libre film and projected as a collage.
Saturday, Sept. 26 is when the action really heats up! Starting at 3:30 PM, the band La Nueva Ola de Cumbia will turn up the excitement as they “cumbialize” the greatest hits from the ‘80s, ‘90s, and beyond. Then, from 5:30 to 9:30 PM, the Robert Gumbiner Sculpture Garden will transform into a raucous Lucha Libre arena. Cheer for such legends as Red Spider Rudo, Pentagoncito, and Mariachi Loco as they clash in the ring!
Sunday, Sept. 27 from 11 AM to 5 PM is the Lucha Libre Expo, with food trucks, art workshops, panels, meet & greets with Lucha Libre wrestlers, a rare film screening of La Mujer Murciélago (The Batwoman) from 1968, and more! By Sunday evening you’ll be a true Lucha Libre aficionado.