La Bamba por Playa Festival Canceled Due to Lack of Support

Playa del Carmen, Mexico — The musical festival 'La Bamba por Playa' has been canceled for what would have been its eighth edition, scheduled for September 21 in the context of the World Day of Peace. The event had persisted even through the pandemic of previous years.

Daniel Pacheco, the founder of the event, lamented that adequate support for organizing the festival, which for several years had brought prestigious artists to the city, was not secured.

“We reiterate the importance of public officials at all three levels of government understanding and assuming the significance of supporting the cultural rights enshrined in the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States and in the International Treaties to which Mexico is a party. These rights guarantee access, participation, and enjoyment of cultural life as a common good that should not depend on economic interests, but on the conviction that culture is a fundamental human right,” stated Daniel Pacheco.

In 2018, Pacheco, who is also a musician and journalist, made the decision to organize a musical event with diverse cultural horizons at a time when Playa del Carmen was experiencing serious violent incidents. Months prior, an attack had left several dead at the Blue Parrot bar, and an explosion had occurred on a ferry with passengers aboard. All these events took place in the city's tourist zone, which suffered immense damage to its image.

This is how La Bamba por Playa began, reactivating public spaces, such as Quinta Avenida, primarily with sones jarochos (traditional Veracruz music).

“It is not a for-profit event; it is a citizen initiative that promotes a culture of peace through music, giving a voice to emerging, professional, and original talents from Playa del Carmen with international projection. We bet on the strength of the community, on the power of art, and on the ability of music to build bridges of dialogue, hope, and unity,” exclaimed the creator.