The Second Gala of Unpublished Merengues 1999 will take place on Thursday, 29 July at the Teatro La Fiesta of the Hotel Jaragua. Fifteen compositions were selected from 400 submissions and are being arranged by leading Dominican musicians for the upcoming competition. The event is part of the Merengue Festival that opens 23 July and will end 1 August in Santo Domingo, and the southeastern beach communities of Boca Chica and Juan Dolio. In Santo Domingo, live band presentations and merengue street dancing will take place at the Malec?n and the Avenida del Puerto. Bands that will be performing are: To?o Rosario, Fernando Villalona, Los Hermanos Rosario, Sergio Vargas, Kinito Mendez, Ramon Orlando, Pe?a Suazo, Eddy Herrera, Parada Joven and Juan Manuel (bachata). Also, Banda del Truco, Los Toros Band, Rockabanda, Grupo Mio, Rikarena, Raffy Matias, K-Libre, Kaki Vargas, Coco Band, Zafra Negra and Banda X. The Gran Encuentro de M?sica T?pica is set for Friday, 30 July at 8:30 at Plaza Nico Lora (in front of Parque Eugenio Mar?a de Hostos) on the Malec?n. Francisco Ulloa, Jose y su Artilleria Pesada and La India Canela will perform their own particular brand of grassroots music. Merengue Festival will close with a bang on Sunday, 1 August. In Boca Chica Beach, Fernando Villalona and Francisco Ulloa entertaining all at the main parking lot as of 3 pm. That same evening, in Santo Domingo, the festival closes with an all night party at the Avenida del Puerto starring To?o Rosario, La Banda X and Pe?a Suazo y su Banda Gorda.
