The Indio Tamal Festival was an event full of food and music for all ages
REné Contreras remembers listening to the music of Banda Machos during her childhood wherever she went — from weddings and quinceaneras and in her mother’s car when she ran errands and when she cleaned the house in the morning.
“We all know five songs by Banda Machos without knowing it,” says Contreras. “Their music is part of our culture and the songs are already programmed into our brains.”
This past weekend, Contreras helped organize the musical acts for the 30th anniversary of the 2022 Indio International Tamal Festival which was headlined by Banda Machos. Other artists at the event included La Santa Cecilia, Together Pangea, Nortec: Bostich & Fussible, among others.
Born in Pomona, California to parents from Michoacán, Contreras grew up listening to and appreciating Latin music. Now he uses this connection to his culture and roots in his work, in which he organizes musical events like he did at the Festival del Tamal.
“The theme for each year [of the festival] is tamales,” says Contreras. “But we also have a mix of all kinds of music. We have reggae, quebradita, regional Mexican, boleros, cumbia, among others.”
The Tamal Festival ran from December 1 to December 4 at Miles Avenue Park, and was filled with lots of food, music, and family-friendly activities. It also had local merchants, a wrestling ring , carnival rides, and some of the largest manokins in America . Contreras says the event brings the Indio community and nearby towns together.
“It’s not just a Latino reflection,” says Contreras. “People think of tamales and they think of Latin food, but there is a little bit of everything and for everyone.”
The festival had three different stages- Community Stage, Viva Park and Fantasy Springs. The Viva Park stage provided an opportunity for local musicians from the Coachella and Imperial Valleys to make themselves known. It is an honor for Contreras to help local artists in the Coachella community grow and to showcase their culture at the festival.
“The music scene in the valley is very eclectic,” says Contreras. “It has hip-hop, regional Mexican, indie and rock.”
With the flavor of tamales and a mix of musical rhythms and activities, the 2022 Indio Tamal Festival was an ideal event for all communities and generations of Indio.
“It’s December and we all grew up eating tamales,” says Contreras. “This is kind of a reflection of how I was raised and a reflection of living in Southern California with different styles of music and cultures.”