Fiesta is coming Latin music at heart of new Corso Italia festival By Kerry Doole Get ready to party! As if the final weekend of the World Cup (July 11-12) doesn't provide enough reason, we now have the first annual Toronto Fiesta hitting the streets. This music festival, which sounds very exciting, is being held along St. Clair Avenue West between Dufferin Street and Lansdowne Avenue as well as at Earlscourt Park (St Clair Avenue and Caledonia Road) from Fri., July 10 to Sun., July 12, the date you all have marked in your calendars as World Cup Final Day. As Fiesta co-producer Lido Chilelli told Tandem, "If the right teams meet, more power to the area. If not, it doesn't matter as we're looking for Fiesta to launch a World Cup celebration every year!" Naturally, the final will be shown on big screens all along the half-mile Fiesta stretch. Chilelli (of Calabrian heritage) is best known as producer of the Beaches International Jazz Festival. Over the past 10 years, it has become one of the best-attended jazz events in Canada. He has also helped produce other major annual all-day concerts in The Beaches - the CISS-FM Canada Day party and Mix 99.9's BeachFest. In some ways, Fiesta can be seen as a logical spin-off from the Beaches jazz fest. "I was looking for an international multi-cultural area to host an extension of a jazz festival. We've been looking at what area is the best selection for a collection of cultures and musical experiences. We came up with St. Clair Avenue West, and, along with the B.I.A. and Corso Italia, the offices of Betty Disero and Dennis Fotinos (Local City councillors - Davenport) everyone has been very supportive, including the police. It's a very co-operative area and it has been a pleasure working here," says Chilelli. The other key player in the evolution of Fiesta has been Fernando Valladares. He is the co-ordinator and manager of the very successful International Hispanic Fiesta, now in its 16th year and the largest Hispanic cultural event in Canada. Once he was put in touch with Chilelli by Disero, the new festival's seeds were sown. Valladares has been responsible for booking the formidable musical talent lineup. "This will be one of the leading festivals for promoting Canadian and international musical talent," he confidently predicts. Given the area and the background of the two producers, it's not surprising that the music will be dominated by Italian, Portuguese, and Latin artists, encompassing styles ranging from flamenco, folklore and tango to calypso and a wide selection of jazz. "That Italian/European/Latin flavor is becoming so popular," says Chilelli. "Through my festivals I'm able to see that when we have latin or international bands, people have a real liking for it." Over 25 bands will perform nightly on selected street corners, balconies and rooftops on St. Clair Avenue, July 10 and 11. On July 11 and 12, the Earlscourt Park main stage will host music from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. Also in the park will be arts and crafts exhibitors and a well-equipped children's area. Local charities and community organizations will also participate in Fiesta. They include the J.J. Piccininni Centre, Las Flores and Colombo Lions Club. "We're also looking at it as an arena for them to network, socialize, heighten their awareness and fundraise at the same time," explains Chilelli. Fiesta was officially launched with a media luncheon at The Jolly Cafe that included a live performance by Gitano, a popular local Latin group. Other artists announced include Canada's 3 Tenors (Peter Marino, Andrea Garofalo and Jose Hernandez), Portuguese-rooted groups Tabu, Panteras and Mexe Mexe, Mariachi Mexico Amigo, Dominicanada (they play merengue and salsa), Energia Latina (a talented Latin orchestra) and Liz Rodriguez. Another highlight will be an appearance by top Cuban musician Angel Luis Marquez, a master of jazz, salsa and Afro-Cuban music who frequently appears with Jane Bunnett and Energia Latina. Bring on Fiesta! Toronto Fiesta will be held July 10-12.