KMEX-TV Celebrates LatAM Independence Days.

KMEX-TV will join the Los Angeles community in celebrating the independence of Belize, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua during Hispanic Heritage Month with the traditional cultural and civic events that will be happening throughout the city. Kicking-off the month was be the Mexican Independence Day Parade in East Los Angeles on Sunday, September 9, climaxing with the historic “Grito de Dolores”, Mexico’s cry for independence, which will be re-enacted locally on the steps of Los Angeles City Hall on Saturday, September 15 and continue with the colorful Central American Independence Day Parade on Sunday, September 16.

The Mexican Independence Day Parade, organized by the Mexican Civic and Patriotic Committee, will feature the renowned Mexican singer-songwriter, Jose Jose, as its Gran Marshal in the event’s 44th edition. The parade will also count with the participation of the Spanish pop-rock singer Paulina Rubio and ranchera musical legend, Lucha Villa, include trumpeting marching bands, rhythmic drill team units and vibrant floats. Among these will be KMEX-TV’s float, which will feature several of the station’s on-air personalities. The parade will begin on the corner of First and Lorena in East Los Angeles at 11 a.m., moving eastbound on First Street until it reaches the corner of First and Mednik Avenue.

The Hispanic Heritage Month celebration continues with El Grito, which commemorates a Mexican tradition dating back to 1810, when Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, in the town of Dolores Hidalgo in the state of Guanajuato, gave the signal that initiated the successful war for independence against the Spanish colonial government. Los Angeles’ “Grito de Dolores” begins at 7 p.m. on Saturday, September 15th on the steps of City Hall in Downtown with a concert by top Latin performers, including Jose Hernandez’s Mariachi Sol de Mexico, singer Carmen Jara, Jessie Morales a.k.a. “El Original de la Sierra”, Ballet Coco, Control, Cassandra and Humberto Plata. Los Angeles Mexican Consul General, Ambassador Martha Lara, will re-enact the historic call for independence alongside L.A. Mayor James Hahn; City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo; Councilmen Alex Padilla, Nick Pacheco, Eric Garcetti and Ed Reyes; and Angel Morales, President of the Mexican Civic Patriotic Committee. The event will be broadcast at 11:00 p.m. on KMEX-TV, Channel 34 and is sponsored by Anheuser-Busch, California Milk Advisory Board, Carl’s Jr., FAMSA, Maruchan and Mitsubishi.

To conclude, KMEX-TV accompanies six Central American countries celebrating their independence this month during the Central American Independence Day Parade in the Pico-Union area on Sunday, September 16 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. LAPD Chief Bernard Parks, Congresswoman Hilda Solis and L.A. Councilman Ed Reyes will join Salvadoran singer-songwriter Alvaro Torres, this year’s Parade Gran Marshal, during the event. The festivities will begin at the corner of Pico and Vermont, moving east on Pico then north on Alvarado until reaching Wilshire Boulevard.