Joseph Rosendo's Steppin' Out

-Let's go have a party!

[ Laughs ] -It's said a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

- Steppin' out -Welcome to "Joseph Rosendo's Steppin' Out."

In celebration of my 20th anniversary on PBS and Create TV... Oh, this is so much fun!

...we're steppin' out and highlighting a world of festivals.

This is crazy.

-[ Explosion ] -Viva fiesta!

-"Joseph Rosendo's Steppin' Out" is made possible by... -Since 1975, we've inspired adults to learn and travel in the United States and in more than 100 countries.

From exploring our national parks to learning about art and culture in Italy, we've introduced adults to places, ideas, and friends.

We are Road Scholar.

We make the world our classroom.

[ Up-tempo music plays ] -Fiesta!

-Festivals are created to give people an opportunity to celebrate some cultural, spiritual, historical, or mythical moment of their heritage.

The celebration opens a window into who they really are, and we're thankful to be invited to join.

[ Bell ringing ] To make the most of the moment, simply open up your heart and let the love shine in.

-Whoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!

-When people think of traveling to Mexico, they often think of the beach.

Fun of the sun is what first comes to mind.

San Miguel de Allende, one of Mexico's colonial towns, offers something different.

Among its many attractions are its artistic soul, its historic legacy, and its colorful traditions... including every September, the Festival of St.

Michael the Archangel... when San Miguel's normally laid-back spirit explodes.

[ Explosion ] [ Explosions ] Okay, here we go.

We're gonna do that.

We're gonna blow up one of these little dolls.

Okay.

This is the way you do it.

It's swirling around.

Oh, no.

It's on a pinwheel.

Some of them have gifts for the kids.

[ Explosion ] Gracias.

-Uno ms.

Uno ms.

-Uno ms?

Uno ms.

Okay.

He says, "One more."

[ Explosions ] Don't look up.

Things are falling all over the place!

[ Explosions ] There's some gifts for the kids.

I'm finished.

Gracias.

[ Explosion ] -Ha!

[ Explosion ] This is crazy!

[ Explosion ] What kind of a celebration is this?

It's amazing.

It's a celebration like many in Mexico... [ Up-tempo music plays ] ...part cultural festival and part religious observance.

In Mexico, the secular and the spiritual are entwined.

San Miguel's citywide party pays tribute to the town's patron saint, St.

Michael the Archangel.

Historically, it begins in the La Aurora neighborhood.

Okay.

These are the ladies who live in this house.

This is their home, where, um, St.

Michael the Archangel has been spending the night.

'Cause one part of this festival -- -Esta es mi hermana, seor.

-Here's her sister there.

She's introduced me to the whole family.

Mucho gusto, Seora.

Mucho gusto, Seora.

So the whole family has been hosting... [ Laughter ] -[ Laughs ] The whole family has been hosting the... -Mira.

Mi hermana.

-...And hermana over here.

They've been hosting the saint.

The saint has been at a different neighborhood every night for the last week.

And this is the big kickoff of the Fiesta de San Miguel the Archangel.

St.

Michael's procession from La Aurora to the church, La Parroquia, evokes an outpouring of joy and devotion.

[ Marching band plays ] Local dance groups parody the Spanish colonialists and honor the indigenous natives while the homespun bands play on.

[ Marching band plays ] Well, here we are in the streets again... ...in a Latin American country... carrying flowers and following a saint.

This is so wonderful.

We were in Guatemala for Semana Santa.

This is much smaller at this point, but it's no less warm and inviting.

Landmarks, buildings -- They don't mean anything compared to the experience like this.

[ Bells ringing ] [ Fireworks exploding ] [ Ringing continues ] [ Fireworks whistling ] Wow.

[ Laughs ] All this fun, and you get blessed, too.

[ Laughs ] [ Drum cadence plays ] In a cacophony of celebration, the San Miguel Festival officially begins as the icon of St.

Michael is returned to its permanent home.

[ Bells ringing ] -Whoo-hoo-hoo!

[ Up-tempo music plays ] -[ Chanting ] San Miguel!

San Miguel!

-Whoo, whoo, whoo!

Whoo!

-It's 3:00 in the morning.

All the neighborhoods are now starting to converge here.

These people are as excited as if they won the World Cup, but it isn't a sporting event that they're cheering about.

Their cheers say, "St.

Michael, St.

Michael, St.

Michael," and, "The Virgin of the Light, the Virgin of the Light."

"Viva!"

"Long live the Virgin of the Light."

-[ Chanting in Spanish ] [ Fireworks exploding ] -Rockets and other pyrotechnics launch from La Parroquia and El Jardn to explode over the heads of the people.

Although the spectacle symbolizes the ongoing conflict between good and evil, above all else, it's a boisterous, festive display of Mexican spirit.

[ Mid-tempo music plays ] [ Crowd cheering ] -[ Singing in German ] -My first travel experience abroad was to Germany in 1969.

For a 23-year-old, it was an eye-opening, mind-expanding, life-changing experience.

40 years later, I returned to celebrate Baden-Wurttemberg's Fasnacht, or Karneval -- a truly cultural adventure.

-Karneval!

-Karneval!

Fasching, Fasnet, Fasnacht, Carnival -- Whatever you call it, Germany's pre-Lent celebration is a sight to behold.

Join me as I experience Germany's Karneval.

My Baden-Wurttemberg's adventure begins in the village of Villingen.

At its 13th-century Kaiser Tower, I meet my first Carnival character.

Villingen's main Fastnet character, the Narro, dates back to the medieval times.

A vain, arrogant, foolish fellow, he is the opposite of the fun-loving, passionate men who don the costume and become him each year in the Fastnet parade.

-Hey!

-Hey!

[ Fanfare playing ] -While Villingen's Fastnet revels in its traditions, Baden-Wurttemberg's second city, Konstanz on the Bodensee, declares its carnival to be irreverent and freewheeling.

It is the scene of a riotous, boisterous fifth season.

Already you can see how this is different from Villingen -- the diversity of costumes.

Costumes that have nothing to do with the tradition of Fastnet, or Fasnacht.

And yet, it's still very lively.

It's still very warm and welcoming.

[ Up-tempo music plays ] The Blatzlebuebe, or rooster guild, dates back to the 14th century.

The friendly fowl's feathers were originally created from scraps of castoff cloth.

-Ho Narro!

-[ Laughs ] Wow.

What more can I say but "Ho Narro"?

Wow.

After partying in Konstanz, I joined the parade of fools in Oberndorf.

Everyone in town wants to be a participant in Fasnet.

Sometimes it seems that there's even more participants than spectators.

But here, the spectators are participants, and the participants, in a sense, are spectators, as well.

And you get to do both!

The Oberndorf Narro, Hansel, and Schantle gift the crowd's best Narrenmarsch singers with oranges, sausages, and pretzels.

[ Child singing in German ] Yet, no matter what you catch or do not catch, everyone goes home with a basket full of fun during Oberndorf's Fastnet.

As I travel further into the Black Forest to villages like Elzach, I find that though the towns are smaller, the Fasnacht celebrations are even more enthusiastic.

It seems the smaller the town, the more traditional the Fasnacht.

Here in Elzach, there's only one main character, the -- the Schuttig, and a very organized, structured fools' council kicks off the Fasnacht celebrations on Sunday exactly at noon.

Here they come.

[ Fanfare plays ] Followed by a whole parade of Schuttigs.

[ Crowd "ohhs" ] Here are my friends.

Strange lot, aren't they?

Oh, this is so much fun.

Oh!

That's pig bladder.

Pig bladder.

Really.

Really a pig bladder.

Smell it.

Can you smell it?

During Germany's Karneval, there is no rest for the weary.

So it's on to Rottweil and its particular style of celebrating.

[ Bell ringing ] The bell is ringing.

It's 8:00, and the big parade is about to start here in Rottweil.

[ Marching band playing ] [ Men cheering ] [ Bells ringing ] Danke.

Danke.

Danke.

Now, your character is called the Gschell.

-Yes.

-Okay.

What does the Gschell do?

-We tramp down the city.

-Yes.

-We talk to people we know and tell them stories about other peoples.

Funny stories.

What they've done about the year and so on.

-Well, and the weather doesn't bother you?

-No problem.

-No problem.

-Rain or shine.

-Every weather.

-Every weather.

It doesn't matter.

There are more than 3,000 fools here in Rottweil.

Well, maybe there's a few more.

Here's one.

But that's how many participate in the parade.

-Whoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!

-I grew up in Miami, Florida, when it wasn't cool to be of Cuban heritage.

I had to recapture my Cuban pride.

Perhaps that is why the successful struggle of the Acadians of New Brunswick, Canada, to preserve their culture has always been so inspiring to me.

On August 15th, Acadians gather in remembrance of their expulsion by the British in 1755 and in celebration of their language, beliefs, resilience and identity.

It's August 15th, the Acadians' National Day and I joined the crowd gathering on Boulevard Saint-Pierre in Caraquet.

[ Horn blows ] What family is this?

-Maillet.

-Maillet?

-Yeah.

-What does Tintamarre mean to you?

-People!

-Yeah, and... -It's like Christmas.

-It's like Christmas.

[ All talking at once ] -Proud.

-What did you say?

-To make our ancestors proud.

To let them know that what they did was not in vain.

So we make enough noise that today that they're gonna wake up from the grave.

[ Laughter ] -The most important thing is that the Acadian people... -Yeah.

-...we survive!

Yes!

Whoo!

-You guys came from Louisiana?

-Yeah!

-Yeah!

-What did they say in Louisiana when they want to have a good time?

-Laissez les bons temps roule!

-Let the good times roll.

-I love this festival.

Here's Mr.

Acadian Peninsula.

Well, Mr.

Acadie.

Percy Mallet.

What is Tintamarre?

-Yes.

It started in 1955 to express their feelings about the 200 years of the dispersion, to commemorate making sure that it will not happen again.

-Right.

-And one of the events that they made sure was to ask the preachers in every Acadian communities, at 5:00 to 6:00, okay, on the 15th of August, go outside and make noise to tell the world that you're still alive.

-Still here.

-Yes.

And we're still existing.

I remember I was a kid at the time.

And I went out with my mom and dad on the side of the road.

We had an Acadian flag.

-So you've been celebrating since the first -- -The first Tintamarre.

That year, there was about 250 person, all dressed in the Acadian colors making noise.

-How many people are gonna be here today?

-Well, they're expecting between 40,000 to 50,000 people making noise at 6:00 tonight.

[ Horns blowing ] [ Bells clanking ] [ Clinking ] -This is like New Year's Eve in Times Square.

The ball is getting ready to drop and the excitement is building and the noise is building.

We're about a minute away from 17:55, 5:55.

In honor of the year of the deportation.

That's when the bell in the church will sound and the people will celebrate... one more year of Acadia.

[ Horns blowing ] [ Clinking ] I never heard the bells ring, but I can see they're ringing.

I still can't hear.

I'm not sure it matters.

[ Clanging, ringing, rattling ] [ Squeaking, horn playing, rattling ] [ Cranking, horn blowing ] [ Cheers and applause ] Being here on this beautiful Acadian National Day, walking down the streets of Caraquet with 40,000 people during Tintamarre, their wonderful celebration of pride, community and identity.

It is very clear indeed that in spite of all their trials and tribulations, Acadie and the Acadians are alive, well, and still here.

San Antonio, Texas, is Fiesta City.

Throughout the year, there are numerous festivities that take place.

Fiesta San Antonio is the primo party of the year and where the all-inclusive spirit of its diverse cultures is on display.

Before Texas was a part of the United States, San Antonians were shopping in Market Square.

During Fiesta, it's the site of Fiesta De Los Reyes where El Rey Feo, the Ugly King, reigns supreme.

- Pido cuando yo me muera -Fiesta is certainly a regal event and there are so many royalties.

One of the most exciting is El Rey Feo.

-The Ugly King, king of the people.

-You don't look so bad for an ugly king.

How does the organization serve the people of San Antonio?

-We serve the people of San Antonio by having a focus on getting the people of San Antonio to college and getting them to graduate from college, and we're helping them do it with scholarships.

Our goal is not to have any child in San Antonio not able to go to college.

We want to help you go to college.

And then once you're in college, graduate from college.

-Viva!

Viva!

-Viva!

-Michael Cortez with Mi Tierra.

How long has the restaurant been here?

-Since 1941.

-So even before there was a Rey Feo... -There was a Mi Tierra, but there was also festivals in this market.

This was -- This is the people's market where locals gather.

And actually, you know, visitors want to come and spend time.

Now this is the home of Rey Feo.

-This whole fiesta is a community celebration.

-Absolutely.

-Any advice for people who want to have the kind of community that you guys have here in San Antonio?

-What San Antonio looks like today is what the rest of the United States is gonna look like in the next 40 years.

That's what we celebrate with Fiesta is all these different types of cultures.

And I think that's the diversity that we've learned here in San Antonio is embrace everybody's background, but do it together.

-Viva!

-Yeah.

You got to get involved.

You know, give up your time, give up your money.

-So then the final "Viva" we want to do is the one everybody does here in Fiesta -- one, two, three.

-Viva Fiesta!

-The Battle of the Flowers Parade is the only chance for the public to see the Queen, her court and their extravagant dresses.

People get up pretty early in the morning to save their spot.

You've been here before.

-For the last 20 years.

Yes, sir.

-Last 20 years?

Here at this spot?

-At this particular spot.

Yes.

-What time do you have to come to get this?

-About two days ahead of time.

Or one day ahead of time, at least.

-Were you here last night in that thunderstorm?

-Under my little-bitty umbrella.

Yes, sir.

-Well, you guys have a wonderful time and... -Viva Fiesta!

-On the first Battle of the Flowers, the ladies would approach each other on horse and carriage and actually throw flowers at each other.

These days, there are more than 40 floats.

There's all sorts of bands and other entertainment.

And in keeping with the historic vow from the Queen and her court to spread mirth and merriment throughout the city of San Antonio.

And that's what the Battle of the Flowers Parade is doing today.

[ Cheers and applause ] [ Marching band playing up-tempo music ] [ Mariachi band playing ] Put on by the Paseo del Rio Association, the Mariachi Festival on the River gives talented junior and high school students a musical immersion into the culture of San Antonio's Hispanic population, which makes up close to 60% of the city.

-Whoever invented this had a great idea.

The kids love coming out here.

We love performing for the people, for the tourists, for our own parents, you know?

And we can't wait for this.

We are teaching them mariachi.

But first of all, they should know how to read music.

We all play the correct technique for the different instrumentation.

They also sing correctly, so we do a lot of theory also.

-[ Singing in Spanish ] [ Cheers and applause ] -While they have evolved over the years, most of the world's favorite festivals began in the mists of time.

One such honored blast from the past is Tampa Bay's more than-120-year-old Gasparilla Festival, which does tribute to a fabled swashbuckler with casks of rum, float-tossed beads and the third-largest parade in the United States.

As promised, as they have for more than 120 years, the pirates in the Gasparilla Festival overrun Tampa.

30 crews manning 120 floats toss tons of beads to more than 300,000 partying spectators.

The third-largest parade in the country is also one of the most joyous.

-Alright, here we go!

We're having the best Gasparilla ever!

Let's get this party started!

[ Cannons firing ] -You were born here in Tampa?

-Born and raised.

-What do you think of Tampa and what do you think of this festival?

-I love how much it's grown.

This is absolutely amazing.

-What was it like to be on the ship?

-Overwhelming.

It felt like a real pirate ship.

It felt like war.

There were cannons.

There were guns.

He was steering.

It was chaos.

-What about your history with this festival?

-Well, the initial Gasparilla was founded in 1904, and our families were involved with the original inception of this.

My brother and I have been a member since 1986.

-Bill, what do you think about that longevity?

-Tampa has such a history and it's such a tradition of the Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, and it's just been wonderful.

-I'm with the Krewe of Mambi.

-My mother is from Pinar del Ro, too.

-Okay, here we are.

-We may be related.

-Matanzas.

-Matanzas.

Wonderful province.

Okay, so I found my home with this group of Cubans here.

Wait.

How many of you were actually born in Cuba?

-Give it up!

-There we go.

That's great.

Alright, alright.

And how many of you are Cubans in your soul?

-Hey!

-Hey!

-Doctor, what makes this krewe so special?

-This is a special krewe because we were the second oldest krewe in Gasparilla.

It started when Lucille Cochran, a woman, decided that we needed to have women presented in these krewes.

-There weren't women before that?

-There were not women before that.

-What a waste.

-It opened it up for women and changed the diversity of this whole parade.

Also our krewe -- it originated in Mardi Gras.

We started throwing beads.

-So you're responsible for the beads?

-Yes, we are!

-That's pretty great.

-Happy Gasparilla!

-Whoo!

-All festivals are a celebration of culture and the culture here in Los Angeles is the film culture, and I'm thankful that one of my "Stepping Out" episodes has been entered in the film festival here in Tarzana, which is the ultimate celebration of the film culture.

Let's hit the red carpet.

-Beautiful.

-Thank you for helping me celebrate my 20 years on PBS and Create TV and for steppin' out with me into a world of festivals.

Until we meet again, remember the words of Mark Twain.

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.

May your next adventure always be your best.

-"Joseph Rosendo's Steppin' Out" is made possible by... -Since 1975, we've inspired adults to learn and travel in the United States and in more than 100 countries.

From exploring our national parks to learning about art and culture in Italy, we've introduced adults to places, ideas, and friends.

We are Road Scholar.

We make the world our classroom.

-For a DVD of the "Travelscope" and "Steppin' Out" episodes featured in my anniversary show and to get my memoir and travel book "Musings," call 888-876-3399.

Or to order online, go to travelscope.net, josephrosendo.com or e-mail me at [email protected].

- Whoo-hoo-hoo -Now that we've stepped out and celebrated the world's festivals together, learn more at... ...where you can follow my worldwide adventures through my magazine, blog, podcast and social media.

Stay in touch -- 888-876-3399, or e-mail me at [email protected].

[ Explosion ] I think that's my last one.

I know it's -- it's Jon's last one.

Let's go, Jon.

What do you have up there?

-Oh, you name it.

-Oh, here's the namesake of the Gasparilla Festival, Jose Gasparilla.

-That would be me.

Jose Gaspar, the pirate king of Tampa.

Since 1904, we invade the city, loot it to the bedrock.

And then every year, they invite us back.

These people are hospitable.

Oh, my gosh.

-They're very hospitable.

Ohh... - Steppin' out