The lineup is set to be announced Monday for the first-ever, major music festival devoted entirely to Latin music in Northern California, and it's called Festival La Onda.
Next June, the weekend after BottleRock, the Napa Valley Expo will play host to a second weekend of music on multiple artists. But instead of featuring big pop, hip hop, and classic rock acts, Festival La Onda by BottleRock will feature all Latin music. Specifically, "the hottest Latin musical acts spanning several genres, including regional Mexican, Latin pop, Spanish rock, reggaetón, banda, mariachi, rap, norteño, cumbia, bolero and more."
"Onda" means "wave" in Spanish, by the way, but "la onda" also refers to something hip and trending.
Organizers Latitude 38 Entertainment appear to be taking a cue from Another Planet Entertainment (APE), the concert promoters behind Outside Lands who are making use of their build-outs and stage setups on an extra weekend in Golden Gate Park next year — which is an economic win-win for both them and the city of San Francisco. A week following the three days of Outside Lands in 2024, APE recently got approval from the city to host a second weekend of "headliner-driven" concert events that will basically just be a trimmed-down version of Outside Lands, taking place only on the Polo Field.
But why not, when the stage, gates, VIP area, and concession areas are already there?
Latitude 38 will similarly get double use out of the BottleRock setup, with La Onda taking place June 1 and 2 — BottleRock is taking place May 24 to 26.
The trend has clearly taken hold for its economic upside. Coachella also expanded to two weekends in recent years, and the annual Stagecoach country music festival utilizes the Coachella infrastructure on the following weekend as well.
"There are some great Latin music festivals out there, but none in Northern California,” says Dave Graham, a partners in Latitude 38 Entertainment, speaking to Bay Area News Group. “We’re fortunate to have a diverse population, but our Latin communities and those who love Latin music have not had a festival to call their own. We’re excited to be able to provide that with La Onda.”
Graham is referring to popular Latin-focused festivals like Bésame Mucho, which started in Los Angeles in 2022, and Sueños in Chicago, which focuses on reggaeton and which also launched last year.
As an indicator of demand for Latin music festivals like this, the 2023 edition of the Bésame Mucho Festival sold out in 70 minutes, as the LA Times reported. It's happening this weekend, December 2, at Dodger Stadium, and it's already expanding with an Austin edition happening the week before South by Southwest in March.
The lineup for Festival La Onda is getting announced at 8 a.m. on Monday, December 4, and tickets will then go on sale at 10 a.m. on December 8.
As for food and drink, Latitude 38 is promising that attendees at La Onda will be similarly well catered-to as those who attend BottleRock.
"We’re very proud of the super premium customer experience BottleRock is known for, and will absolutely deliver that level of experience at Festival La Onda as well,” says Justin Dragoo, another partner at Latitude 38.
Who all will be the headlining acts? Bad Bunny might be saving himself for bigger, more proven events — he was a headliner at Coachella this past April, becoming the first Spanish-language act ever to headline the fest. But headliners at Sueños have included Wisin y Yandel, J Balvin, and Nicky Jam, and headliners at Bésame Mucho this weekend include Los Bukis, Cafe Tacvba, the hugely popular Alejandro Fernández, and Mexican pop-rock band Maná.
Follow La Onda on Instagram for updates.
Top image courtesy of BottleRock (2019)