Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Category Archives: Santa Ana

Pictures of 2009 Las Fiestas de Independencia in Santa Ana

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Lou Correa interviewed at the Fiestas Parade

State Senator Lou Correa and friends walk in the Fiestas Parade

I visited “Las Fiestas de Independencia” today, in Santa Ana.  My six year old son, Jacob, and I had a blast.  The crowds were about 25-35% less than last year, but there were still a lot of folks there to watch the parade and to have fun at the booths set up in the festival area on 4th St.

Several local elected officials showed up to ride in the parade, which started a bit after 4pm today.  Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido rode atop a vintage firetruck that is owned and maintained by the Santa Ana Firemen’s Benevolent Association.  You can see more pictures of the parade after the flip. Continue reading→

Calacas to hold Sugar Skull Workshops starting on Sep. 14

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Sugar Skulls

Santa Ana’s Calacas is going to be holding “Sugar Skull Workshops” starting on Monday, September 14, at 7 pm, at 324 W. 4th St., at 4th and Birch in the West End Theater.  For a fee of only $3 you will get the materials and the instruction – and you will walk out with your own “Sugar Skull.”

The “Sugar Skulls” are used on the Dia de los Muertos, or “Day of the Dead.”

The Day of the Dead (El Día de los Muertos or All Souls’ Day) is a holiday celebrated in Mexico and by Latin Americans living in the United States and Canada. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. The celebration occurs on the 2nd of November in connection with the Catholic holiday of All Saints’ Day which occurs on Nov 1st and All Souls’ Day which occurs on Nov 2nd. Traditions include building private altars honoring the deceased, using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, and visiting graves with these as gifts. Continue reading→

7th Annual Día de los Muertos Celebration to be held in downtown Santa Ana

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Noche de Altares 2009

UPDATE: Click here for pictures and a recap of the 2011 Noche de Altares (Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos).

Click here to read about the 2010 8th Annual Noche de Altares.

El Centro Cultural de Mexico & Calacas Inc. proudly present The 7th Annual Día de los Muertos Celebration will be held on Saturday, November 7th 2009, from 2pm to 10pm, at the  Fiesta Marketplace, which is located at the corner of Bush and 3rd., in downtown Santa Ana.  This is a FREE event!

For the 7th year in a row, Centro Cultural de México is organizing Noche de Altares (A Night of Altars). This year Centro is proud to present this free event in partnership with Calacas Inc., a Santa Ana business that promotes art and culture through products made by indigenous people living in México and local artisans living in Southern California.

Noche de Altares is a community-based event celebrating Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), one of México’s oldest, indigenous festivals. Organized by volunteers, the purpose of the celebration is to honor the ancient traditions of the festival and bring community members together through art, culture, and compassion. Continue reading→

“Discover the Taste” to benefit the Charities of Santa Ana’s Rotary Club

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Discover the Taste

An evening of Food, Beverages and Entertainment to benefit the charities of the Santa Ana Rotary Club is coming to the World Famous Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana on Saturday October 17, 2009 from 6 to 9 P.M.

“Discover the Taste” will feature fine restaurants including Antonello’s, McCormicks and Schmicks, Villa Roma, Mariscos La Sirena, Carnitas Ururapan. Burrell’s BBQ and many more and featuring the Wines of Witch Creek Winery and Antonello’s. Continue reading→

Play about the life of Puerto Rican nationalist Lolita Lebron now playing in Santa Ana

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Miss Lebron

“Miss Lebron,” written by René Solivan, is being presented through Saturday, Sept. 26 at the Breath of Fire Latina Theater Ensemble,” according to the O.C. Register.

The work, directed by Jesus A. Reyes , focuses on the life of Puerto Rican nationalist Lolita Lebron.

Performances are at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 3 p.m. on Sundays. The theater is at 310 W. 5th Street (second floor), Santa Ana. Continue reading→

Hispanic Heritage Month breakfast and fashion show at the MainPlace Mall on Sep. 16

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2009 Hispanic Heritage Month Poster

“The National Latina Business Women Association of Orange County is holding a Hispanic Heritage Month breakfast and fashion show,” according to the O.C. Register.

The event takes place Wednesday, Sept. 16 at Nordstrom, at Westfield MainPlace, 2800 N. Main St. in Santa Ana.

Check in begins at 7:30 a.m. at the second floor sky bridge, and doors open at 8 a.m. Continue reading→

Attorney Jess Araujo’s movie to debut in Santa Ana on Sep. 12

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Jess Araujo Movie

JESS ARAUJO MOVIE DEBUT “LA TRAGEDIA DEL VAQUERO”

Jess Araujo, prominent Santa Ana, Orange County attorney, educator and syndicated journalist, will make his feature film debut in the Spanish language film “La Tragedia Del Vaquero” (The Cowboy’s Tragedy).

The movie was filmed in the rustic country town of Zapotlanejo in Jalisco, Mexico earlier this year. The star of the film is Armando Infante, son of the undisputed Super Idol of Mexico, Pedro Infante. The film also features roles by several other major Mexican actors including Hugo Stiglitz, Valentín Trujillo Jr., Alredo “El Turco” Gutierrez, Rojo Grau, Arturo Martinez Jr. and Rocio Muñoz.

Film star-singer Armando Infante will perform with Mariachis for 45 minutes prior to the showing of the movie starting at 5 p.m. on Saturday September 12, 2009 at the Yost Theatre on Fourth Street, in Santa Ana. Continue reading→

Celebrate las Fiestas de Independencia in Santa Ana on Sep. 12 & 13

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Fiestas de Independencia

Celebrate las Fiestas de Independencia (including Mexican Independence Day) on September 12 & 13, on 4th Street in downtown Santa Ana.  The event will be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on the 12th and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on the 13th.

Free entrance to two days of live music & entertainment, carnival rides & games, authentic food & dozens of vendors.

Continue reading→

Free blues concert coming to the French Park neighborhood on Oct. 3

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Mother Road plays “Keep it to Yourself” at the Santa Ana Zoo

On Saturday, October 3, the Historic French Park Neighborhood Association is hosting a free Blues concert in our park. The band, Mother Road, is a popular local band that has played a number of venues in Santa Ana from the Artists Village to the Santa Ana Zoo.

The band will start at 5:30pm and play until about 9:30pm. Bring a picnic dinner and a chair or blanket, relax and enjoy. French Park is located in the 900 block of French Street (three blocks east of Main Street, and four blocks south of Washington Street). Parking is available all around French and Spurgeon Streets. Continue reading→

Santa Ana to launch new “Bank on Santa Ana” program on Thursday

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Matricular Consular Card

Santa Ana residents will now be able to open bank accounts even if this is the only type of I.D. they have

Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido has announced a public briefing about what he is calling “Bank on Santa Ana.”  The event will be held at the Santa Ana Police Department’s Community Room on Thursday, Sep. 10, from 1 to 3 pm.

The meeting will be attended by representatives of Gov. Schwarzenegger and other community based organizations.

The city sent out an email message that provided further background regarding this program: Continue reading→

Santa Ana’s female athletes honored at City Council meeting

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Surfing Champ Courtney Conlogue and Councilwoman Michele Martinez

Surfing Champ Courtney Conlogue and Councilwoman Michele Martinez

The Santa Ana City Council honored a great many good people at tonight’s City Council meeting.  Amongst them were several notable female athletes.

Councilmember Michele Martinez gave a certificate of recognition to Santa Ana resident Courtney Conologue, who recently won the Hurley U.S. Open Women’s Surfing Champtionship in Huntington Beach.

Martinez also recognized Santa Ana resident Julie Kindstrand for taking first place at the World Cup Skateboarding Pro Tech Pool Party.  (See the pictures below). Continue reading→

Santa Ana City Council to honor New Santa Ana blog co-editor Sean Mill tonight

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Sean Mill

The Santa Ana City Council will honor New Santa Ana blog co-editor Sean Mill at tonight’s City Council meeting

The Santa Ana City Council will be honoring our co-editor Sean Mill at tonight’s City Council meeting, which starts at 6 pm, at the Council Chambers, located at 20 Civic Center Plaza.  Councilman Sal Tinajero will be presenting Mill with a Certificate of Recognition.

Mill was appointed to the Santa Ana Planning Commission by Tinajero in January of 2007, and he recently resigned. Mill will be focusing his efforts on helping to build this new blog, amongst other community projects. Continue reading→

Free candlelight concert coming to Santa Ana’s Episcopal Church of the Messiah on Sep. 27

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Larry Karush

Jazz Pianist Larry Karush will be appearing in concert in Santa Ana on Sep. 27

You are invited to the Episcopal Church of the Messiah, in the heart  of historic Santa Ana, for the first Concert by Candlelight of the  2009 – 2010 season.  And it is FREE!

Jazz pianist Larry Karush is the featured  performer; he is an improvising pianist/composer with roots in Jazz,  20th century western music, African-based percussion, and the music of  North India. From Carnegie Hall to the Purple Onion, he has performed  solo piano concerts of original music throughout the United States in  addition to festival appearances in Canada, Europe, and South Africa.

This free concert in Santa Ana will be Sunday, September 27, 2009, at 7:00 pm, with a festive Champagne reception afterward in the Parish  Hall. The Episcopal Church of the Messiah is located the southeast  corner of Bush Street and Civic Center Drive (614 North Bush). For  directions or more information, please click here, or  call 714/543-9389. Continue reading→

Free rock concert coming up at Morrison Park on Sep. 19

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The Undercover Girls band

The Undercover Girls will be playing for free at Santa Ana’s Morrison Park on September 19

“The neighborhoods of north Santa Ana will host their ninth annual concert in the park on the evening of Sept. 19,” according to the O.C. Register.

The concert will feature “The Undercover Girls,” a classic rock cover band.  The event is free to attend, but tables that can seat eight people are available for $25.

This year’s theme is “Simply Purple” and attendees are asked to dress the part; there also will be prizes awarded for the best purple table. Continue reading→

Latin American collections coming to the Bowers Museum this month

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fernando-botero-bath

The works of Colombian artist Fernando Botero are coming to the Bowers Museum

The Bowers Museum has a pair of exciting exhibitions coming up that feature Latino artists!  Here is the latest information from their website:

The Baroque World of Fernando Botero,  September 12 – December 6, 2009

Colombian artist Fernando Botero’s unique style is recognized and renowned world-wide for the voluminous forms and sensuous figures found within his painting, sculpture and works on paper. Botero’s observations and portrayals often take on religion, politics, and history as subject with an equally critical and comical approach. The Baroque World of Fernando Botero includes over 100 paintings, sculptures and drawings dating from the 1950’s to present. Compiled from Botero’s personal collection, this is an opportunity to view many never exhibited works that the artist reacquired or never parted with. Themes such as faith and contemporary life in Latin America, early works and sculpture, and still-life portraits, and subjects that reference European art history, are presented in eight separate sections. Using a broad range of media, the Colombian-born Botero has created a world of his own, one that is at once accessible and enigmatic. Continue reading→