Yesterday’s Fiestas Patrias parade, in Santa Ana, was perhaps the best one yet.  A huge crowd lined Main St., many in folding chairs.  Kids blew on horns and waved Mexican flags.  You could feel the fervor in the air.  They were all there to celebrate two hundred years of Mexican independence.

Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido rode in a stagecoach provided by Wells Fargo, along with his fellow Grand Marshal, Mexican Consul Alejandra García Williams.

Santa Ana Council Members Vincent Sarmiento, David Benavides and Carlos Bustamante were there, riding in cars in the parade, as was Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez.

Also in the parade were Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, State Senator Lou Correa, Assemblyman Jose Solorio, and Supervisor Janet Nguyen.

The parade featured high school bands, the Santa Ana ROTC, caballeros on horseback, cultural organizations – displaying Ballet Folklorico and Native dances (in full costume) and representatives from many Mexican states.  It was quite a spectacle.

I had to take two separate videos.  Part one is above and part two is below.  You can see many of the politicians in part two, but the local electeds are in part one.  Click here to see more pictures I took at the event.