Ten years after its DIY Pomona, CA fest was launched by Rene Contreras, Viva! has teamed up with Coachella producers Goldenvoice for a new Los Angeles fest, Viva! L.A. Music Festival, happening on Saturday, June 25 at Dodger Stadium. Here's some background on the fest, via press release:
Viva! has built an unrivaled reputation for bridging the gap between cultures, languages, regions and various communities through deeply inclusive music through its beloved Viva! Pomona shows. Ten years ago, Viva! and its Pomona showcases were launched by Rene Contreras, a young first generation Latino American living in Southern California’s Pomona region who sought to create representation and community by bringing some of the most notable names in music to his hometown, a region largely ignored. Viva! celebrates those often overshadowed - immigrants, youth of color, the underserved, the working class in the suburbs, various marginalized communities and artists that have long been pushed out of the larger American music arena. Viva! is lined with an undeniable magic of “belonging” that is resonating with millions around the world.
By providing a rich fusion of worlds, the cultural impact of Viva! L.A. Music Festival goes beyond just a festival. It simultaneously dismantles the misconception of a monolith “Latin genre” by showcasing artists with an infinite array of sounds, styles, languages and regions through careful curation. The festival also features a selection of non-Latinx artists that beautifully mirrors the reality of today’s world - we are all deeply multidimensional and our music is a direct reflection of that fact. Furthermore, the festival is the fruit of a thriving new generation of people in this country building our own legacies and shaping the world based on values that have long been rejected by the larger mainstream arena.