With lawn chairs lining 1st Street on Sunday, hundreds of residents looked for a good spot to watch the 7th Annual Boyle Heights Christmas Parade. Local businesses, schools, organizations, and politicians, celebrated some holiday magic with the neighborhood. With children twirling in folklórico dresses, classic Mariachis, and a colorful line of festive low-riders, it truly was a day for celebration.
The sense of community is why many of the parade participants, including DJ Fuego, return each year. If you were at the parade, you might’ve noticed him alongside a familiar, flashy robot dancing with local children.
“These sorts of events are important because a lot of us rarely interact with our neighbors. We don’t even know who they are or even their names,” said Marco Florentino, the man best known as DJ Fuego. “To come together at an event like this, it’s like uniting with one another as a community. ”
The parade route began at Mariachi Plaza and continued East on 1st Street ending at Hollenbeck Police Station. While every year the parade brings out residents of all ages, organizer Antonia “Tonie” Juarez, said the reason she started it was really about the children.
“My biggest motivation was that I believed that Boyle Heights should have a Christmas parade because of the little kids [here]. Every other city had it, but we didn’t,” said the Boyle Heights Community Market founder.
The Community Grand Marshal of this year’s parade was Joe Diaz, born and raised in Boyle Heights, who has spent the last two decades working with youth at the Boyle Heights Youth Technology Center. He’s made regular appearances at festivities in the neighborhood and is usually dressed up as Santa Claus at the event. Although the truck he was riding in, from Ranflas East Los Angeles Car Club, broke down around Cummings Street, Diaz still did his best to hype up the crowd.
Genny Guerrero, a candidate in the upcoming CD 14 election, also served as a Grand Marshal of the parade, along with Mr. and Mrs. Claus.
Parade watchers had the opportunity to hear from local school marching bands. Both Hollenbeck Middle School and Mendez High School bands participated, while Roosevelt had both their band and drill team perform.
Manuel Rodriguez, a staple at Boyle Heights’ events, decorates his Coca-Cola bicycle according to the theme or time of year.
“I try my best to be creative, to give something to people to enjoy the sight of here in the neighborhood,” said Rodriguez. “What we’re seeing here on 1st Street today is a distraction from life, a chance to be happy and enjoy the world amongst your fellow people.”
After the parade, residents could visit nearly two dozen vendors set up at the festival, selling everything from spicy gummies to tacos and pupusas. There was also a toy giveaway and pictures with Santa.
Edwin Perez and Stephanie Perez contributed to the reporting of this event.
