The popular festival that took place before, during and after Mexico's 3-0 victory over the Czech team unleashed madness in the small square of the House of Culture and Art, where, once again, hundreds of fans gathered.

The party atmosphere began with the delicious smell of hot dogs that dozens of vendors offered to the clientele lined up on Main Street, from Highway 101, in downtown Los Angeles to César Chávez Avenue.

Two hours before the match, Verónica Saavedra stood in the long line and, although the heat was not overwhelming, she began to “warm up” her throat to shout El Tri's goals, with a cold beer.

“You have to quench your thirst,” he justified.

In front of her were William Chávez, a geography student at UCLA, and his friend, Itzaithi Elizondo. She was eating a hot-dog that she bought from Horacio Aguilar from Puebla.

In front of Placita Olvera, birthplace of the city of Los Angeles, flag sellers sounded their trumpets to attract the attention of buyers of t-shirts, ribbons, caps and the World Cup mascot representing Mexico.

“I sold more last week; this time it seemed like people didn't want to buy,” complained Guatemalan Domingo Santiago, who ran his business with the help of his wife and children.

“Softly, I want to feel your lips kissing my skin,” the song by Puerto Rican performer Elvis Crespo was heard, followed by “La Vaca,” the musical hit of the group Mala Fe, which fused merengue and urban music. Many were encouraged to demonstrate their best dance steps in the street.

“The most beautiful thing about these events is that we get to live with a lot of people,” said Emely Escareno, wife of Julio Bravo, from Mexico City, who was wearing a mask of “Rey Misterio,” a wrestling star.

The Escareño family arrived three hours before the game at the Art and Culture Center, in Placita Olvera, a time they took advantage of to eat roast beef tacos, drink fresh cucumber water, and Julio drank two beers.

"You only have permission for two. No more," said the wife, who laughed.

Julio, resigned, commented: “Where a captain rules, a sailor does not rule.”

In the food sales area, Valentín Grana, his wife Lily, his sister-in-law Mónica Sánchez and employees of the “Sabores Oaxaqueños” restaurant could not cope with serving hundreds of diners.

“I want a tlayuda!” asked Selene Delgado, a woman from Nayarit.

“I'm going to order a tapa de pozole,” said Beatriz Avendaño, from Guadalajara, Jalisco.

In this temporary restaurant, jerky cakes with chorizo ​​and cheese and memelas were also offered with the option of adding beef and delicious Oaxacan tamales with black mole, wrapped in banana leaves.

“This has been a day of the community and for the community,” said Dr. Adriana Mendoza, associate director of AARP. “It is beautiful to see complete families with members of the first, second and third generation of Mexicans in Los Angeles.”

After the applause of the crowd, he also received a loud boo when he spoke about his Mexican roots and said that, for his father, originally from Guadalajara, the best thing about Mexico was the “Chivas Rayadas.”

"Boo! Boo! Boo!" were chanted as a sign of disapproval by many fans of the “Águilas” of America, among them Javier Girón, son of Mexican parents who lives in the city of Anaheim, in Orange County.

Meanwhile, sitting on the synthetic grass in the square of the Casa de la Cultura y Arte, Mexican and Mexican-American families enjoyed a concert with music by Los Ángeles Azules and their song “El listón de tu pelo”, “Como te voy a vivir” or “La Negra Tomasa” by the alternative rock band “Caifanes”.

“We are a completely free museum that tells the story of Mexicans and the founding of Los Angeles,” Tracy Serrano, executive director of Plaza de la Cultura y Arte, told La Opinión. “Here we tell the story of Los Angeles from the perspective of Mexicans.”

He added that, at Plaza de la Cultura y Arte, "we want to attract all generations of Mexicans and Mexican Americans; we have been achieving it, thanks to the initiative of the Consul General of Mexico in Los Angeles, Carlos González Gutiérrez, to present the matches of the Mexican soccer team. It has been something so nice and everyone has liked it."

And to top off the celebration, hundreds of fans took over the Placita Olvera kiosk where they sang, danced and waved Mexican flags.