Bolivian Independence Day and Ecuadorian Independence Day will be celebrated during separate events in Sunnyside over the coming days. The celebrations will include performances by Ayazamana, pictured, an Astoria-based Ecuadorian dance group (Photo: Facebook)
Aug. 5, 2022 By Michael Dorgan
Bolivian Independence Day and Ecuadorian Independence Day will be celebrated during separate events in Sunnyside over the coming days.
The events, which will feature various cultural performances, will recognize residents and business owners whose heritage emanates from Bolivia and Ecuador. Both nations declared independence from Spain in the early 1800s after prolonged wars.
The Bolivian Independence Day celebrations will be held Saturday, Aug. 6 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. outside Bolivian Llama Party, a Bolivian restaurant located at 44-14 48th Ave.
The event will feature Bolivian dance performances, a live DJ and a photo booth.
Attendees will also get to savor traditional Bolivian food such as pique a lo macho, which is a heaping plate of bite-sized pieces of beef, French fry-cut potatoes, onions, locoto and egg. Savory items will include salteñas which are pastries filled with meat, spicy sauce, olives, raisins and potatoes.
It is being organized by the owners of Bolivian Llama Party, Patrick, David and Alex Oropeza.
Meanwhile, the Ecuadorian Independence Day festivities will take place on Thursday, Aug. 11 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Bliss Plaza, located at 46th Street and Queens Boulevard.
The celebrations will include performances by Ayazamana, an Astoria-based Ecuadorian dance group, and musician Inti Paucar who will play Andean music, which is a type of folk music that comes from the Andes region in South America.
Speakers will include Council Member Julie Won and Woodside resident Judge Carmen Velasquez, who is the first Ecuadorian to serve as a judge for the Civil Court and Supreme Court of the State of New York.
The Ecuadorian Independence Day event is being organized by the Sunnyside Shines Business Improvement District (BID). It will be the first time the BID has held an event to celebrate Ecuadorian Independence Day.
Dirk McCall, Executive Director of Sunnyside Shines, said the event is open to people of all backgrounds and will be a fantastic opportunity to experience South American culture.
“People love seeing residents celebrate their different cultures and heritage,” McCall said.
McCall said that there is a large concentration of Ecuadorians living in Sunnyside and many are business owners.
“They contribute so much to Sunnysides’s economic growth and Sunnyside’s success,” McCall said. “The Ecuadorian community is some of the hardest working people you are ever going to meet, they are an immigrant success story.”
He said he expects well over 200 people to attend The Ecuadorian Independence Day celebrations.
He also implored residents to come out and support the Bolivian Independence Day event tomorrow.
“It should be a great event,” McCall said. “The food at Bolivian Lama Party is out of this world, it’s delicious.”
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58 Comments
The Robert Holden supporters showed up to this comment section in droves. Never seen so many of them! They must still be reeling that they will soon be represented by Juan Ardila and Nydia Velasquez!
Using those pants and hats?
I wish Mayor Adams spoke spanish like all the other Mayors that i remember. Its a must in today’s age and time especially with all the asylum seekers coming to NYC from south of the border.
Give him a break, he barely speaks English.
Good one. He also has no idea what vegan food is.
Juanita, not one mayor of this city was fluent in Spanish. If you heard them speaking Spanish , they were reading off a teleprompter.
Nobody knows all the words of their own language so it’s impossible to be fluent in any other language.
Some people in this city have never heard the word NO before.
Juanita, you have it all wrong. They are not asylum seekers, they are illegal aliens. Politicians didn’t speak every language when Europeans came here. This country and city owes nothing to these people.
Is anybody else concerned about the illegal business (selling alcohol in the park) running around Loud Lodati Playground every weekend?
Cops aint. So why should anyone else care.
Hoping all local and city politicians attend including Adams. Tired of Sunnyside being misrepresented in the media as Irish. My husband is from Bolivia. He was born and raised here.
You said your husband is from Bolivia but he was born and raised here. Actually, he is from the United States. Is he ashamed of that? Maybe you need to take an English lesson or 2.
Someone from Bolivia has more chances of being a true American then you are dummy. Many South Americans are more native and indigenous to this side of the world. Enough with this euro american trash ideology.
You are right! I love going bar hopping to all the Bolivian bars in Sunnyside…those Latinx draft beers are a good pour!
My neighbor is Ecuadorian. And she tells me this event aint nothing like the Puerto Rican parade. Its more civilized.
Well my deli is run by an Ecuadorian who knows how to party ?♂️
I second that. Every weekend feels like a dance, weed and alcohol fest around here.
Rosanna – Are you a nun? You always make Sunnyside sound like Bourbon Street. I see very little evidence of what you say, very little.
You should get out of the house more often beyond your front entrance.
It really depends on what side of the boulevard you live at. So in a way you’re both right.
Ecuadorian parade at Manhattan was fun but this one is closer to home.
Looks like its going to be a Great parade！Thanks for sharing??
Viva Ecuador!!
Joy filled with music, dancing and food. Great fun for the entire family. Come all and bring your wallets! Support our Latinx community.
I support the latino community and i am against James Franco playing Fidel Castro. Franco is not latino. Its trending on social media. Hollywood should cast a latino actor.
Samantha, a sign of a great actor is they can get into character and become someone they’re not. Andy Garcia who is Cuban, played a mafia gangster in Godfather III.He also played an Irish American cop in Night Falls on Manhattan. Lighten up, don’t get so insulted.
Is anyone going to debate that Al Pacino playing a Cuban in Scarface did not deliver an incredible performance? He became Tony Montana. In the end does it really matter who gets the role? Don’t we all just want to be entertained.
Dats whoo!
John Leguizamo doesn’t seem to have a problem when he is offered a part that is not a latin character. Ozzy Delvecchio comes to mind. Isn’t that an Italian last name. Seems like he has a double standard. His own DNA says he has European blood mostly Spanish. I’m Spanish and do not consider myself Latin.
Leguizamo played a gay drag queen or transgender in a movie once. He did a great job and i do not think he is queer. Someone should remind him that. I think his parents used to live in Sunnyside. He would also say he was rican but he is colombian.
Leguizamo came from Lower East Side and Jackson Heights
Samantha: you and others like you are phony. You don’t want non Latino actors playing Latinos but you want Latinos to get as much acting work as possible and play other ethnic groups. Fake. Go James.
Franco is a Latino lady name
Please learn some culture
I am sure the Cuban American community is not too thrilled about this movie being made. However the leading roles should also go to cuban actors. Maybe find someone in Miami or Cuba ??.
Really Samantha, tell the world you are racist LOUDER.
I disagree. Samantha is ignorant not racist.
Therefore she’s racist. You dating her or something??
But since she’s white playing a white we’re not supposed to bring this up.
Klingon (a race that is always black in StarTrek universe) Alexander Rozhenko from Star Trek the next generation was played by Brian Bonsall who played Andrew on Family Ties. BB is white.
This is why so many move to Sunnyside. We hold such beautiful events for our residents.
El Dia del Primer Grito de Independencia de Quito!! God bless Ecuador and my people.
Why don’t you go back if it is so great. You’re here because it’s not so great! Right.
Sunnyside should be renamed Little Ecuador. The hispanic population is growing rapidly each year.
Allan, Sunnyside’s name didn’t change to “Little Ireland” when there was a much larger Irish population living in here. Long live Sunnyside.
Please do not forget to support our Latino Street vendors.
only if they are licensed and passed all food inspections!
Looking forward to dressing up my dog in a sombrero. Hope to see everyone from Sunnyside there.
Finally a celebration that most of our local community is celebrating.
After two and a half years of avoiding covid I finally caught it. It’s no joke. Hopefully I will be feeling better in time for the event. Love seeing so many of our friends and neighbors celebrating.
Ecuadorian Independence Day under the elevated subway… Don’t wake the sleeping expatriates.
I think i’m fading into Bolivian…
What happens if Lele decides to move back to her old home before the Ecuadorian celebration?
The hipsters will welcome her
When is Palestinian Day in Sunnyside?
I think that takes place in Astoria. Ask Zohran Mamdani the New York State Representative from Astoria.
Good point. They have thousands of supporters in Sunnyside. Just call it a Pro Palestinian parade. https://sunnysidepost.com/thousands-march-through-the-streets-of-sunnyside-and-astoria-in-support-of-palestinians
Call it the pro terrorist and anti-Jewish parade.
will the white politicians show up and make speeches about Latinx?
Oh God I hope so
Nice. Hoping all our new shelter residents will get to enjoy our events. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbcnewyork.com/investigations/migrant-crisis/texas-will-start-bussing-migrants-straight-to-new-york-city-escalating-crisis/3812036/%3famp=1