When I coined the term
Full-Tilt Fiesta Season in 1994, I was not exaggerating. Our semi-official
motto then was "city of fiesta moods and festive, friendly
attitudes." In the last two decades, our FTFS has burgeoned to the point
where it's pretty much year-around, and festooned with several fiesta
superweekends throughout the year.
But some fiestas that
were going strong, and others that sprung up and went on to flourish and
celebrate 15th and 20th anniversaries, are now calling it quits, cutting back
or changing forms.
The Border Book Festival
is the latest to say adios. Denise Chᶥz, who cofounded the festival with Susan
J. Tweit, announced that the once-popular event, which never quite seemed to
weather the change in venue from Mesilla to assorted downtown Las Cruces locales, is calling it quits. An
online presence and some literary events will continue at Casa Camino Real,
Chᶥz said.
Venues are also an issue
for the Las Cruces International Mariachi Conference, which trained and
educated thousands of mariachi musicians and singers and folklorico dancers
over the past two decades and brought top entertainers to perform and teach.
Founder Phyllis Franzoy announced that the nonprofit group, which fielded one
of the largest gatherings of its kind each November, has had trouble securing
suitable venues after New Mexico
State University
schedules and policies have changed. The group had an abbreviated event at Las Cruces Convention Center in 2014 and is now
considering new venues and new dates that will allow return of a full roster of
events, including a Mariachi Mass, parque festival with arts and crafts,
Spectacular concert, student workshops and a performing showcase.
That's good news. It's
one of the treasures of Las Cruces that
generates the most comments in travels from Santa Fe
to Deming and Albuquerque,
where I run into performers who attribute their training and the origins of
their mariachi groups to workshops and studies at the conference.
After more than a decade,
the White Sands International Film Festival announced that last September's
event would be their last gathering.
Roberto Estrada also
announced that 2014 would mark his last year preparing his giant enchilada,
which once claimed the Guinness Book of World Records title as the world's
largest. Everybody agrees that Roberto has done us proud. But it's sad that the
still-thriving Whole Enchilada Fiesta is without its behemoth attraction. It
would be nice if a new generation would come forward to continue the tradition.
There are bright stars on
the fiesta horizon, from the monthly Downtown Ramble, which evolved from the
annual Artwalk, to Downtown Partnership and Las Cruces Farmers' and Crafts
Market special events like evening markets, New Year's Eve Chile Drop and
red-carpet events.
Several fiesta founders,
planners and volunteers cited the Las Cruces County Music Festival as a good
example of what we should be doing to maintain our fiesta central status. Las
Cruces Convention Visitors Bureau Director Philip San Filippo came up with the
concept, and had contacts and expertise after fielding similar events to create
an event that is attracting national attention. Focus groups determined that we
already had a reputation as a mecca for country music fans (thanks largely to
decades of efforts by Barbara Hubbard in bringing top names in country, rock
and pop to Pan Am). The bureau and city offered resources to put it all
together, and hired Dawn Starostka and Helping Hands for the professional help
needed.
In a time of what a
friend called "fiesta management fatigue," it's a hopeful model. It's
time to recognize we've grown. We need to pick the right times and venues,
build on what talented founders have created, and hire professionals to help us
move into a new fiesta era.
Since this column was posted in March, we also learned that the Soutthwest Environmental Center's Raft the Rio event has been canceled.
S. Derrickson Moore may
be reached at lcsun-news, @DerricksonMoore on Twitter and Tout, or call
575-541-5450.
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