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City of Gainesville officials to present Key to the City to Willy Chirino

Press release from City of Gainesville

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward will present a Key to the City to Cuban-American singer/songwriter Willy Chirino for his outstanding contributions during his 50 years in music and for helping raise Gainesville’s profile internationally as a music destination.

When: 8 p.m. on Sat., Nov. 2

Where: Bo Diddley Plaza

Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward also will proclaim Nov. 2 Willy Chirino Day. Following the Key to the City presentation, the renowned salsa musician performs for the first time in Gainesville at Bo Diddley Plaza as part of the Tu Fiesta Radio Festival 2024.

In 2006, his album, “Son del Alma,” won a Grammy for Best Salsa/Merengue Album. In 2014, Chirino was awarded the Latin GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award from the Latin Recording Academy®.

Chirino is founder of the Willy Chirino Foundation, a philanthropic organization that addresses the needs of underprivileged children and families across Latin America and South Florida. The foundation was recognized by the U.S. Department of State in 1999.

  • I’m confused. Mayor Ward says Willy “helped raise Gainesville’s profile internationally as a music destination.” Then he claims Willy “performs for the first time in Gainesville”. Exactly how did Willy help Gainesville, if this is his first trip here and why does that rate a day in his honor and a key to the city?

  • The PR firm that recommended this “key to the city and proclaim a day for random musician/athlete” should give us citizens our money back. This is probably one of the most retarded PR stunts I’ve seen in a while but yet the city is going full steam ahead with it. Cognitive dissonance at its finest

  • Willie’s videos:

    A merengue (Dominican Republic and guaranteed to get the dancers on the floor) –

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=2OMTub4nP24

    Salsa (Puerto RIcan/NYC/Cuba) –

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vKEkvuuM6o

    Should be really good!

    By the way, the Air Force Academy Falconaires band at the Plaza about 2 weeks ago was excellent. Mostly big band jazz with almost all members good enough to take solos and dense arrangements. Women lead singer was top notch.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=td6aB4JCIyw

    • No one said his music wasn’t good. They just said why does he get a key to the city to come perform for cash?? What has he done for gainesville besides being booked for a show!?

  • Eastman and the GCC have spent way too much of our money handing out keys to people most have never heard of. They have given out so many keys to the city there is no longer any significance or honor in doing so. It has become a joke, a waste of money and a photo op for certain members of the GCC, mostly Eastman

  • Da Mayor & co. are trying to get as many free lifetime passes to future shows by performers nobody else ever heard of by doling out these worthless “keys to the city.” What Latinx performer wants to have Nov 2 declared as “their day,” when Nov 2 is widely recognized in Hispanic culture as Día de Los Muertos?

  • We should just be thankful they aren’t awarding a key to a rapper at a *noisier* concert. Latin music is family friendly.

  • Great concert last night with the largest crowd I’ve seen at Bo Didley Plaza – maybe 500?

    Tight as a tic high energy salsa with a dancing and enthusiastic crowd. Kids running around, mix of ages, typical Bo Didley good natured crowd but largely Latino I guess, from the on rhythmic hip swaying and polished dance steps of a others.

    You won’t see stuff like this in Celebration, Jonesville, or Walmart, so those of you afraid to go downtown or convinced it’s nasty and unfriendly place, you’re missing out.

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