East LA Mexican Independence Day Parade to return for 80th year this weekend
This tradition is the largest and longest-running parade of its kind in the U.S.
EAST LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Organizers are putting their finishing touches on the 80th Annual East LA Mexican Independence Day Parade and Festival ahead of this weekend.
The celebration will be held Sunday, Sept. 13, under the theme of celebrating tradition, family, and culture.
ABC7 will broadcast the parade live from 10 a.m. to noon, and you can watch on TV and anywhere you stream Eyewitness News.
Anchor Jovana Lara and meteorologist Danny Romero will bring you all the sights and sounds from East Los Angeles, as the parade commemorates its big milestone.
The parade will travel east on Cesar E. Chavez Avenue, starting from Mednik Avenue and culminating at Record Avenue.
The festivities continue from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Grand Festival on Mednik Avenue, between East Cesar E. Chavez Avenue and First Street.
This is the largest and longest-running parade of its kind in the U.S.
For 80 years, the Mexican Patriotic Civic Committee Inc., which organizes both events each year, has been the driving force behind the iconic Mexican Independence Day Parade and Festival.
The committee will also observe a milestone of its own, celebrating its 95th anniversary this year.
This year's parade co-grand marshals are El Dasa and Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis.
El Dasa is a Grammy-nominated regional Mexican singer, songwriter, and actor based in Los Angeles.
He hails from the Mexican state of Sonora, where his artistic journey began. At the age of 18, he moved to LA, and worked with legendary singer Vincente Fernandez.
A few years later, El Dasa released his first album, producing his first hit. He is also a recipient of an international Emmy award, nominated twice for the Latin Grammy Awards and once for Premio Lo Nuestro.
Supervisor Solis represents the first supervisorial district of Los Angeles County, which is home to nearly 2 million residents. Her district includes East Los Angeles, where the annual Mexican Independence Day Parade and Festival takes place.
She is recognized as one of the highest-ranking Latino politicians in the country and served as the U.S. Secretary of Labor from 2009 to 2013. Solis' office has funded the parade for the past few years.
This is her last year on the L.A. County Board of Supervisors.
ABC7 is the proud exclusive media partner for the East LA Mexican Independence Day Parade.
