Media Contact: Lisa Kaiser (414-270-2999; lkaiser@communityadvocates.net)
Date: August 22, 2019Milwaukee’s Mexican Fiesta to Feature Eight Smoke-Free Stages
Smoke-free stages will protect families, promote community health
Community health advocates applaud Mexican Fiesta’s decision to create smoke-free spaces around its eight stages and in the Children’s Area at this year’s celebration, a way to appeal to families and attendees who want to breathe clean air while enjoying the fiesta’s entertainment.
“Mexican Fiesta’s decision to create smoke-free stages is a positive step toward creating a healthier community,” said Tina Rivera of the Wisconsin Hispanic Latino Tobacco Prevention Network. “It’s better for families, for the entertainers, and even for smokers, because they will be less tempted to smoke while are at the fiesta.”
Mexican Fiesta will be held August 23-25 at the Henry Maier Festival Grounds on the lakefront.
“We are concerned about the health of our community members and all of the visitors to Mexican Fiesta, so creating smoke-free stages was an easy choice for us to make,” said Teresa Mercado, Executive Director of Mexican Fiesta. “We believe that families who enjoy the fiesta’s music, dancing, and other cultural performances will have an even better experience because they won’t have to be exposed to secondhand smoke.”
Mexican Fiesta’s decision is in line with what Milwaukeeans want when they are at an outdoor festival. According to a survey of 600 individuals taken earlier this year, a whopping 86% said they wanted to enjoy smoke-free and vape-free outdoor festivals, such as Mexican Fiesta. Respondents said they were concerned about being exposed to secondhand smoke, triggering asthma and allergies, and developing cancer.
“The public wants and expects smoke-free areas at outdoor festivals, and Mexican Fiesta is listening,” said Rivera.
The Wisconsin Hispanic Latino Tobacco Prevention Network and the City of Milwaukee Tobacco-Free Alliance will be on hand at Mexican Fiesta’s Community and Health Fair to answer questions about the benefits of not smoking or vaping and provide resources for quitting smoking.
To schedule an interview with a member of the Wisconsin Hispanic Latino Tobacco Prevention Network or the City of Milwaukee Tobacco-Free Alliance, please contact Lisa Kaiser at lkaiser@communityadvocates.net or 414-270-2999.
