Santa Fe Springs Swap Meet Explained

Santa Fe Springs Swap Meet
Address:13963 Alondra Blvd
City:Santa Fe Springs, California
Country:United States

The Santa Fe Springs Swap Meet is a flea market and music venue in Santa Fe Springs, California.[1] [2] It predominantly caters to Mexican Americans and Chicano culture,[3] selling food and beverages, art, clothing, household goods, and more unusual products.[4] [5] As a music venue, the Swap Meet is largely known for featuring tribute acts,[6] [7] but also features shows by prominent Latin music groups and other well-known musicians.[8]

After being founded as a drive-in theater in the 1940s, the Swap Meet eventually transitioned into the flea market that it is today. It has since built up a dedicated following of Southern California residents.[9]

Notable performers

Legal incidents

In 2006, the Swap Meet was subject to a police raid to seize potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of counterfeit consumer goods.[12] In 2016, the site became host to illegal street racing, following which a threatening young street racer was shot by California Highway Patrol.[13]

On October 17, 2014, forty-three-year old Elizabeth Yanez was stabbed to death in the site's parking lot by twenty-two-year old Reggie Cervantes.[14] The two had gotten into a verbal confrontation over a parking space, which came to involve Yanez's two adult children and a companion of Cervantes.[15] Charges against this second co-defendant, nineteen year old Brenda Rangel, were subsequently dropped,[16] and Cervantes was convicted of voluntary manslaughter.[17] He was sentenced to thirteen years in state prison in January 2016.[18]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Reyes-Velarde . Alejandra . Under siege by a virus that thrives in crowds, L.A. swap meets face a reckoning . . July 3, 2020 . January 26, 2024.
  2. Web site: Discover the Treasures of Santa Fe Springs, California . California.com . June 13, 2023 . January 26, 2024.
  3. Web site: Delgado . Michael . The culture behind Santa Fe Springs’ swap meet . . . March 20, 2023 . January 26, 2024.
  4. Web site: Hernandez . Daniel . Now missing at L.A. swap meets: live music and cheap toilet paper . . March 16, 2020 . January 26, 2024.
  5. Web site: Top 10 Things To Do In Santa Fe Springs, CA . VanLifeWanderer.com . Wanderer . April 8, 2022 . January 26, 2024.
  6. Web site: Ducker . Eric . In Southern California, a Fresh Wave of Fandom for ‘Los Estrokes’ . August 27, 2023 . . January 26, 2024.
  7. Web site: Fontana resident plays for Metallica tribute band which will perform in nationally-televised live concert . . March 10, 2017 . January 26, 2024.
  8. Web site: Flores . Andrea . De Los weekend guide: Kali Uchis at the Bowl and Latino theater in L.A. and O.C. . September 28, 2023 . . January 26, 2024.
  9. Web site: Huerta . Erick . The L.A. TACO Guide to the Best Swap Meets and Flea Markets for Holiday Shopping . December 8, 2021 . L.A. Taco . January 26, 2024.
  10. Web site: Macintosh . Dan . Violent Femmes Deliver a Range of Radio Hits in Memorable Santa Fe Springs Show . U.S. Rocker . May 17, 2023 . January 26, 2024.
  11. Web site: Chavez . Conny . Violent Femmes Celebrating 40 Years of Debut Album in LA . MXDWN.com . April 4, 2023 . January 26, 2024.
  12. Web site: Police raid local swap meet . . August 15, 2016 . January 26, 2024.
  13. Web site: CHP kills threatening teen pickup driver: Illegal street racing ‘sideshow’ . July 5, 2016 . MyNewsLA.com . January 26, 2024.
  14. Web site: Woman fatally stabbed in fight over swap meet parking space . October 24, 2014 . . January 26, 2024.
  15. Web site: Day . Brian . Man denies charges in Santa Fe Springs Swap Meet stabbing death . . November 20, 2014 . January 26, 2024.
  16. Web site: Gonzales . Ruby . Fatal stabbing over parking space at Santa Fe Springs Swap Meet goes to trial . . August 3, 2015 . January 26, 2024.
  17. Web site: Bloom . Tracy . Man Found Guilty of Killing Woman Over Parking Spot at Santa Fe Springs Swap Meet: DA’s Office . August 14, 2015 . . January 26, 2024.
  18. Web site: Pamer . Melissa . Man Gets 13 Years for Killing Mother Over Swap Meet Parking Spot Dispute . January 5, 2016 . . January 26, 2024.