EAST MOLINE – On top of the food from a half dozen Latin American countries, and flights of margaritas, something else will become a hallmark of Saturday’s 5th Annual Taco & Margarita Festival.
That special something is … horns. Bold, bright horns, which are a key component of both main bands Saturday.
For one of those bands, Crooked Cactus, horns have always been a star. For the other, tDietz Soliz Band, its horn section is a new addition after decades in the live music business.
Bands at Saturday’s Taco & Margarita Festival are horn-infused and include the Crooked Cactus Band (left) and the Dietz Soliz Band (right)
For both bands, their horn sections are at once a tribute to Latin American musical heritage, and a growing trend.
“This is my first time having a horn section,” says Soliz, a Silvis native who first began performing in the 1960s at age 12. “I’ve always wanted to have a horn section, though. It brings so much more color to the whole thing. It enhances the music itself, it really does.”
Horns and Latin music began merging during European colonialism and further merged in the early 1900s, the big-band era.
Horns are also known as a sound of “triumph” in North America, writes the Dutch music magazine Ad-Hoc News: think “Tusk” by Fleetwood Mac and its prowess as a college marching band tune during football half-times.
For Paul Palos, founder of the Crooked Cactus Band, horns have been an essential component of his bands for decades, but especially since 2016.
“I’ve always tried to put them at the forefront,” he said. Palos, a Moline native, said he grew up around the sound of Latin American music with big-band horn flavor, because of musical talent on both sides of his family.
Soliz, Palos both hometowners
The musicians tomorrow are also an example of hometowners returning to their roots.
Soliz, whose real name is Edmundo Mata Alejandro Soliz, was born in Moline and grew up in Silvis, on what is now known as Hero Street. In fact, his uncle is among the eight war veterans originally honored by Hero Street, also named to honor the tradition of Mexican-Americans living there before it had amenities, and while working on the local Rock Island Railroad.
Soliz first began playing guitar at age seven; five years later, he was performing live, and at age 18 he formed his first band. His career over the past 50 years has included stints touring New Mexico and the southwest as a Santana tribute band, and decades entertaining crowds from his current home of Waukee, Ia.
Soliz brings classical training to his band; he plays guitar and sings while Manuel Lopez Jr., III, is on keyboards; Jorge Tapia plays a variety of percussion; Thomas Tapia plays drums; Jeff Booker is on bass; Ben Mckay plays trumpet and flugel horn; and Kendall Hengst plays saxophone and flute.
Additional members of the Dietz Soliz Band include, but are not limited to, Manuel Lopez Jr., III (left) and Ben Mckay.
The Dietz Soliz band is known for a meld of Latin American favorites and also ‘90s rock, funk, and soul. “Especially right now, things are rough for everyone,” says Soliz. “So I hope we can all come together and just, whatever differences political or religious put it aside.and just enjoy each other and the music.”
They’ll perform from noon to 3 p.m.
Palos also got an early start in performing, joining a Quad Cities band known as Los Mocambos in 1992. He and a group of classmates at Rock Island’s Alleman High School formed their own band and performed for years around town.
Polis continued to build ensembles over the years, building around big-band,Latin and Top 40 sounds, until finding the band’s current iteration in 2016. He’s among the Quad Cities’ most popular Latin musicians.
His band helped debut the Taco & Margarita Festival five years ago. It’s known for bringing the “Latin beat” to everything they perform.
“That’s been our focus, and we’ve noticed how people react to it. We have a nice rhythm that keeps people involved. It’s something that we’re recognized for.”
His line-up incudes Dave Navarro and Tony Ramirez on trumpet and vocals; Mike Ortiz on lead guitar and vocals; Stephen Ramirez on keyboard, trumpet and vocals; Rick Jimenez on percussion and vocals; and Palos on bass and vocals.
Crooked Cactus will take the stage from 4 to 7 p.m.
A group enjoys the food and drinks at the 2025 Taco & Margarita Festival. The event draws more than 10,000 to East Moline.
Diverse food, drinks, more culture are also part of the fest
Bands are just one part of East Moline’s groundbreaking cultural festival. The 5th annual event started as the brainchild of resident Graciela Macias, co-founder of the festival, offers the same observation. in 2022 and blew up within years into one of the most highly-attended festivals in the overall Cinco de Mayo season throughout Illinois and Iowa.
In addition to the two main bands, Saturday also features dance from Quad Cities Ballet Folklorico, Deckmate Dancers, the Steamwheeler Cheerleaders, and a BIdiBIdiBOmBOm Dance off, which is a dance-off to one of the most popular songs by the late Latin American pop sensation Selena.
Classic food offerings from the five major regions of Mexico, and other Latin American countries such as Guatemala and Columbia. The festival will also showcase major streetscaping and landscaping happening all along 15th Avenue in East Moline.
Access to the festival, which is 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., is made convenient through a shuttle transporting people from large parking lots at East Moline Glass, 1033 7th St., and Deere Harvester, 1100 13th Ave. For more information on the Taco & Margarita Fest, head to the Taco & Margarita Fest Facebook page. You can also learn more about the Fest and the East Moline Main Street Association that coordinates it at emmainstreet.org.
