Avanza 88.3 is Utah’s first bilingual radio station, providing music and news in both English and Spanish to its listeners. On Oct. 2, Avanza celebrated its launch with a large party in downtown Salt Lake City. The launch was scheduled to coincide with National Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month. Live music from local jazz artists and DJs filled the outdoor patio of the Drift Lounge, while free drinks and desserts were passed out to guests. Karlysue y Trios Los Charros, a mariachi band, serenaded people as they waited for the party to begin.
The Program Director of Avanza, Edgar Zuñiga, gave the opening remarks to the launch party crowd. Zuñiga is a two-time Emmy-winning bilingual journalist and a University of Utah graduate. “This is just the beginning. We’re going to be expanding our signal up to Ogden before the end of the fall. And we’re gonna have an Avanza app in just a few weeks.” Zuñiga told the crowd as they raised a toast…