Fiesta hopes to attract tourists

Hoping to re-attract tourism from north of the border, this city will host a Mexican-style fiesta for Yuma area winter visitors today.

The celebration, which is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. in Benito Juarez Park, will include a parade, Mexican folkloric cultural presentations and food offerings.

City officials say the event seeks to re-attract tourists that the city has lost in recent years as many of the Yuma area’s winter visitors have instead frequented Los Algodones, Baja Calif., in increasing numbers.

“Re-establishing the welcome to winter visitors is the first step in regaining our tourism activity,” said Paulina Capiz, the city’s tourism coordinator.

She said organizers plan to provide cross-border transportation from Del Sol Market in San Luis, Ariz., to the site of the festival in the Mexican border city for winter visitors.

The event will kick off with music provided by a band from Secondary School 22 in San Luis Rio Colorado, which previously took part in the Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif.

At the park, the border city’s merchants, doctors and dentists will be on hand to meet winter visitors and offer their services.

Also, city officials will provide information about other tourism attractions in the region, such as El Golfo de Santa Clara and Pinacate, a designated protected area where the city and state government hopes to promote ecotourism.