Nightwatch: Cross culture

Elizabeth Flores, Star Tribune

"Salma," performed a song by lip-syncing a hit song by Mexican musician Amanda Miguel at The Saloon Minneapolis during a specialty show for gay Latino men called "Fiesta Latino." "Salma," once crowned "Miss Diva Latina," usually sings songs by Latino artists such as Jennifer Lopez, Selena, Amanda Miguel, and Laura Leon. He has been performing and running the event for almost four years. The event has been in existence for several years at The Saloon Minneapolis.

We check out a Latino drag show in the first installment of an occasional series about the club scene's best niche nights.

By Tom Horgen, Star Tribune

Last update: December 14, 2007 - 6:16 PM

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FIESTA LATINO

When: 10 p.m. every Tuesday. Drag show starts between 11:30 p.m. and midnight. It's usually adults-only, but the last Tuesday of each month is 18-and-older and features a different competition, such as a wet-T-shirt contest with a $150 prize. Tickets: No cover. Where: The Saloon, 830 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls. Info: 612-332-0835 or www.gaympls.com.

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Even in this land of 10,000 nightclubs, finding something new and exciting can be tough. But if you look hard enough, you'll find a night like Fiesta Latino, the Saloon's weekly party dedicated to gay Latino men who wanna dance and see an eye-popping drag show.

Every month or so, this column will highlight a different niche club night -- think bacon night at the Triple Rock or Bondage a Go-Go at Ground Zero.

Fiesta Latino has been around several years. It's still hot thanks to host Luis Peña -- aka Salma -- who is the reigning Miss Diva Latina, a community-appointed title signifying J Lo-levels of flamboyance.

On a chilly Tuesday in late November, downtown Minneapolis was a ghost town, but Fiesta Latino was just heating up as Peña's fellow queens hit the stage just after midnight.

The performers -- don't call them lip-synchers -- enticed the crowd with everything from the hip-shaking songs of Shakira to the traditional ballads of Ana Gabriel. Clubbers offered dollar bills to the queens they liked best.

Peña, who's steered the show for almost four years, said nights like this are still rare in local Latino clubs, and even rarer back home -- he moved here from Puerto Rico five years ago.

"In my country, if you are a man, you are a man," Peña said. "In this country, I can be whatever I want. I can dress up like a girl and nobody will laugh."

Family members who had moved to Minnesota before him told Peña that the state is more welcoming than other parts of the country. He agrees, except for one thing:

"I like Minnesota, but it's too cold!"

thorgen@startribune.com • 612-673-7909

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