The city of Lakewood hosted another “Concert in the Park” in the outfields of Palms Park on Friday, Sept. 8 closing out its summer series.
The community gathered with loved ones for an evening in the park as the Selena Tribute Band performed all the late star’s smash hits.
Residents arrived early to this event, with the park half-filled before the 6:30 p.m. start time. Families took this time to pick their spots on the field, grab their food, share some laughs and give their thoughts on this event happening in their very own community.
Sonia & William Perez came to this concert with their family excited to be out of the house and happy to hear the live band play, all while spending precious time with their loved ones.
“We love being with our family,” Sonia said, “[The event] brings people together, it brings the neighborhood together.”
Her husband William couldn’t agree more by stating, “Close family, close neighborhood, it’s a safe neighborhood, better being at the park than at home.”
The couple both were looking forward to the band playing their favorite song by Selena “Como La Flor” and expressed much gratitude and appreciation for the turnout of the event.
“The more people that come out, hopefully [Lakewood] can have it again next month and maybe not next year,” William Perez said.
The city of Lakewood hit a gold mine by providing its community with the sweet melodies of the Selena Tribute Band. For many, this was not their first time listening to the band and hearing them play live.
In fact, many Lakewood residents were dedicated fans who, if they could, they would follow the band wherever they play, like Lorena Romero & Longinos Guizar.
“We love the Selena Tribute Band, ” said Romero, “we follow this band and when they are close by to where we live we try and go to their events.”
The two were present at the event with their family, soaking up the memories being made as they waited for the band to hit the stage and play their favorite Selena song “Como La Flor.”
One of the key parts this event provided was spending quality time with family.
Guizar mentioned, “To relax here, hear the music and spend time with our families, it’s a very nice and good thing.”
The residents couldn’t agree more with what Guizar had to say, they clapped their hands to the beat of the drums and swayed their hips to the strings of the guitar.
This concert meant a lot to the community. Residents Pedro Rivas and Daisy Alfaro gave personal accounts as to why this particular concert was so near and dear to them.
“Selena was such an important figure in my childhood, so it’s nice to be able to come to see our community rejoice in her music,” Alfaro said.
“I like Selena because Daisy likes Selena, I play the drums to “Baila Esta Cumbia” because of Daisy,” Rivas goes on to say, “my sisters also grew up listening to Selena, so I am very familiar with her music for sure.”
All around the park as the band plays “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom,” filling the air with the melodic sounds of one of Mexico’s finest, old and new Selena Quintanilla fans are delighted in this moment. Daisy Alfaro can’t help but feel the impact this event has.
The event ended at 8 p.m. at which residents packed up their belongings and headed back to their homes, humming the tunes they heard at the event and hugging the people they shared it with.
