United Toyota Prepares for Independence Day with Major Community Celebration on July 3

-Editorial 

United Toyota Imperial Valley will host a community food and entertainment event on July 3 that organizers say is designed to display local food vendors, musicians, and small businesses while providing residents with a family-friendly gathering ahead of Independence Day celebrations.

The event, scheduled from 6 p.m. to midnight at United Imperial Valley, 2351 US Highway 86, Imperial, California, will feature 15 food vendors, live music from local bands, promotional activities, and prize giveaways. Attendees who test drive a vehicle during the event will have opportunities to enter drawings for various prizes, including VIP tickets to the Imperial Valley Fairgrounds Fourth of July celebration, gift cards, gas cards, and food vouchers redeemable with participating vendors.

The event is the result of a collaboration between United Imperial Valley and Gerardo Antonio, owner of Antonio’s Baja Catch 22 and founder of the Fiesta del Valle Flavor Friday events, which have become a venue for local food entrepreneurs to introduce their products to the public.

Antonio said the partnership began after he met dealership representatives through a podcast interview in which he discussed his background in the food industry and the challenges he faced following a vehicle accident earlier this year.

“United Toyota loves to support the community and loves to be able to showcase these 15 local vendors to showcase their businesses,” said Jorge Clue, general manager of United Toyota. “Many of them do not have permanent brick-and-mortar locations, so it is an honor for us to help give them visibility and connect them with the community.”

According to Antonio, dealership representatives later attended Fiesta del Valle Flavor Friday events and became interested in bringing a similar concept to the dealership.

“During the process, he (Jorge) learned that I host Fiesta del Valle Flavor Fridays and became interested in bringing a similar concept to United Imperial Valley,” Antonio said. “That connection led him to attend one of our events, where I was also collaborating with the City of Imperial on the Park After Dark program. He had the opportunity to see firsthand what Fiesta del Valle Flavor Fridays was all about, and after experiencing the atmosphere, the community participation, and the support for local vendors, he became excited about creating something similar here at United Imperial Valley.”

Antonio said the Flavor Friday concept was developed to support emerging food businesses, many of which do not yet have permanent restaurant locations or food trucks.

Fiesta del Valle events have featured a variety of cuisines that are not commonly available in the Imperial Valley, including Indian, Peruvian, and Cuban dishes. Antonio said the events also provide opportunities for dessert vendors, beverage businesses, and other food-related entrepreneurs.

“It’s not just food,” Antonio said. “You have drinks, ice cream, paletas.”

Antonio said community food festivals are common in larger cities throughout the region and that he hopes similar events can continue to grow in the Imperial Valley.

In addition to food vendors, the July 3 event will feature performances by three local musical groups. The lineup includes Second Generation, a band composed of Imperial Valley high school students whose parents were also musicians; Sweet Rock, a local group that regularly performs in the region; and La Cachimba, a band known for performing a mix of rock, regional Mexican and other musical genres.

Antonio said featuring local musicians is an important component of the event because it provides added exposure for artists and entertainment businesses based in the Imperial Valley.

For Antonio, the event is also a continuation of a career in food service that began more than a decade ago. He said he first entered local cooking competitions in 2009 and 2010, earning first-place awards in taco contests despite running with limited equipment.

“At the time, I only had a fryer and a tent,” Antonio said. “I believed I had a good taco and wanted people to try it.”

After stepping away from the industry for several years, Antonio said he began planning for retirement and decided to revisit his goal of opening a food truck business. He eventually launched Antonio’s Baja Catch, specializing in Baja-style seafood and tacos.

Antonio also became involved in efforts to expand opportunities for food truck operators throughout the Imperial Valley. He said local governments later adopted regulations that allowed food trucks to operate in additional areas, helping mobile food businesses reach more customers.

Earlier this year, Antonio’s business suffered a setback when his food truck was severely damaged in a traffic collision.

“On Jan. 10, I was involved in an accident when another vehicle ran a stop sign and hit me,” Antonio said. “Right now, I don’t have a food truck, but I definitely plan on rebuilding Antonio’s Baja Catch.”

The July 3 gathering is open to the public. Admission is free, and food and beverages will be available for purchase from participating vendors.