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Inaugural ‘Flagstaff Summertime Tardeada and Oldies Car Show’ on June 28 draws larger than expected crowds

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AmigosNAZ staff reports

FLAGSTAFF — Organizers of the inaugural “Flagstaff Summertime Tardeada and Oldies Car Show” on June 28 were hoping all their hard advance work would pay off and bring in a crowd of about 200 visitors. They shouldn’t have worried.

By mid-afternoon the crowd in the parking lot of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church had already exceeded 350 by some counts with final estimates approaching the 500 person mark for those who came an went throughout the day.

There was some disappointment in the crowd when festivities came to a close at 9 p.m., but the crowd cheered with Theresa Thomas, president of Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces, announced the tardeada would return again to the church next year.

The event was organized by Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces, a local cultural heritage organization, with the support of numerous other organizations including members from the Plaza Vieja Neighborhood Association.

Traditionally, Nuestras Raíces holds its annual Hispanic Pioneer Picnic and Veterans recognition program at Fort Tuthill during July or August. However, the group has been involved in the renovation of the church’s basement in an effort to turn it into the Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church Cultural Center that will recognize the contribution of the region’s Hispanic community to the history of Flagstaff.

Funding is needed to complete work on the ceiling, lighting, floor and possibly a new kitchen. As a result, the group decided to present the tardeada as a fundraiser with food and other proceeds from the event going to the heritage fund.

The tardeada, described as a vibrant afternoon festival and social dance celebrating Flagstaff’s Hispanic culture and community history, featured Grupo C-J de Marley from Phoenix, Ballet Folklorico de Colores – Flagstaff, with the the showcase group, Mariachi Sol Azteca from Tucson, which also brought along members of Compañia de Danza Folklorica Arizona to perform on the dance floor in front of the stage on the south side of the church.

Organizers, including member Armando Gonzalez, said Tardeadas and other festivals used to be a regular event in the neighborhood. In fact, a story in the Arizona Daily Sun mentioned a tardeada to be held at the Guadalupe Parish Center on Sept. 18, 1977. But those events eventually ended with the closing of the center, Gonzalez said.

This year’s tardeada was a way to bring something back to the community, while also including elements of previous Nuestras Raíces events including honoring Hispanic veterans and pioneers, along with information presentations on the historic church and the importance of the immigrant community, past and present, to the future of Flagstaff and Northern Arizona.

The event also featured nearly a dozen “Oldies” classic cars surrounding the parking lot bought by their local owners, along with a variety of food and free activities for children.

Donations to the heritage fund are still being accepted. Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces is f 501c3 nonprofit organization.

For more information, send an email to contact@flagstaffnuestrasraices.org, visit info@flagstaffnuestrasraices.org or http://www.flagstaffnuestrasraices.com