Hearts full at the Heartbeat of Mexico Festival

Photo by Zoë Edeskuty, Arts and Culture Editor

Following the wafting scents of Mexican food and sounds of cheering to the Aitkens Art Plaza, passersby will find a sea of scattered blankets and chairs, children running around, dogs panting and music playing. 

Attendees of the annual Heartbeat of Mexico Festival, presented by Musco Center for the Arts, gather to celebrate Mexican culture and heritage, a celebration like no other to kick off National Hispanic Heritage Month.   

Between two main stages, groups such as Mariachi Panteras — the first collegiate mariachi ensemble in OC — and Mariachi Arco•Iris de Los Angeles, the world’s first LGBTQ+ mariachi group, proudly represented and uplifted their communities.

Danza Azteca group Xipe Totec, led by General Lazaro Arvizu, and Santa Ana band Lovers Sónicos brought forth rich tunes to a sweet summer day in Orange.

With trumpet bells up to the sun and a guitarrón thumping a steady beat, the crowd was entranced by Mariachi Panteras's performance, following a variety of other shows.       

Traditional dance from Chapman’s Ballet Folklorico, Relámpago and Técnica Arte y Folklorico kept folkloric tradition alive, dancers clad in colorful elaborate attire, their skirts creating half-circles. 

This year, many booths representing local organizations shared the spotlight with the performance groups in an effort to engage with the Orange community.  

The Orange County Hispanic Youth Chamber of Commerce, which was present at the festival, focuses on career development and access to higher education to prepare students for success. 

“Basically, we're students that are looking out for students,” Ricardo Alcarez, student at Cal State Long Beach and the group’s president, told The Panther. “This is a place where you build your network.” 

Alcarez and Harriel Smith, the group’s co-director of marketing, shared that their biggest inspiration for participating in the festival was the culture. 

“Especially if you live in the area, don't confine yourself into spaces. There's so much to see in the world. So go out and see everything,” said Alcarez. 

Real estate boutique in Orange County and LA, True Inmobiliaria (true reality), was at the festival to provide information on their new program that allows buying properties in Mexico remotely. They shared a similar sentiment. 

“We're just here to be part of the community, engage in conversations with people, and then if we can answer questions in general about real estate — whether they're thinking of buying or not — then we're doing a service to the community, and that makes us happy,” said realtor Albert Soto. 

Soto shares two reasons why people should attend the annual Heartbeat of Mexico festival. 

One: “Mexican food is the best,” said Soto. 

“The culture is just amazing as well. Everybody should come and experience a little bit of our food, our music, dancing, and then obviously, who doesn't want to get to know Chapman University, it's a great place,” said Soto.  

The festival is more than a chance to showcase local businesses and organizations. It is a place to truly connect with one another. 

“We don't live isolated, and we all kind of depend on each other. So the better that we treat each other, and better get along, the better societies that we can find,” said Soto. 

National Hispanic Heritage Month will be celebrated through Oct. 16.