HUNTINGTON PARK : ‘Sabor a Mexico’ Street Fair Coming

A giant taco and a quebradita dance contest will flavor “Sabor a Mexico,” the first Chamber of Commerce street fair scheduled to fill Downtown this week.

Organizers expect more than 100,000 visitors to the free three-day event that begins Friday along Pacific Boulevard between Gage and Florence avenues.

The fair will feature entertainment by Mexico- and Los Angeles-based bands, carnival rides for children and adults, and 130 arts, crafts and food booths. Mexican, Chinese, Argentine and Italian cuisine will be sold.

“This is a major retail event to stimulate the Downtown area and business district of Huntington Park,” said Dante D’Eramo, chamber executive manager. “It’s partly to celebrate that we have one of the largest shopping areas that have survived malls and the economic bad times.”

El Gallo Giro restaurant will be vying for a mention in the Guinness Book of World Records by creating the world’s largest taco Friday and the longest burrito Saturday.

Entertainment includes performances by students from at least seven local school folklorico troupes from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday. For those who would rather dance than watch, the quebradita contest will have qualifying competitions at 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday. Finalists will compete for cash prizes Sunday at 6 p.m. Contestants must register at the Chamber of Commerce and pay a $10 entry fee.

Fair hours will be 4 to 11:30 p.m. Friday, and noon to 11:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Information: (213) 585-1155.