CarnaVe 2003 Las Vegas Celebrates Best of Global Latin Culture; Miss Mesoamerica International Pageant Makes Las Vegas Permanent Home.

Entertainment Editors/Travel Writers

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 16, 2003

Let the fiesta begin! The inaugural edition of CarnaVe, a world-class celebration of Latin music and culture, is set to take place in Las Vegas later this summer. Kicking off September 12, just prior to the start of Hispanic Heritage Month, the three-day event features an "estupendo" line-up of entertainment, spectacle, and Latin pride. More than 20 nations from across the Americas and Iberian Peninsula are slated to participate, underscoring the scope of Hispanic influence worldwide.

HI RESOLUTION PHOTOS and more information at www.lobelinepr.com/carn.

Said event Executive Producer Gene Dibble, "We're excited about creating this event in Las Vegas and look forward to making it the permanent home of all future CarnaVe celebrations. With the exponential growth of Latin entertainment in the United States over the years, now is the time to establish a national celebration of the culture that we can enjoy year after year."

Francisco Cortez, founder of the Miss Mesoamerica International Beauty Pageant and Chairman of the CarnaVe Latin America Host Committee, said, "Culture is one of the most important factors in contributing to the common good of global communities."

Following in the tradition of great Latin festivals like Brazil's Carnaval, Chile's Vina Del Mar, and Mexico's La Feria De San Marcos, CarnaVe 2003 similarly showcases the diverse cultural riches of the Spanish and Portuguese-speaking worlds. Among the participating countries represented at the event this year are Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Spain, Peru, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama and many others. Highlights of CarnaVe 2003 include:

-- The Miss Mesoamerica International Beauty Pageant -- the most

beautiful women in Latin America compete in the annual Miss

Mesoamerica International Beauty Pageant. Entrants from over

20 countries will compete for the coveted Miss Mesoamerica

crown.

-- Oasis de CarnaVe -- a poolside party with Caribbean music,

dancing, beach games, spicy cuisine, and much more. The event

will also be the site for the Swimsuit Competition of the Miss

Mesoamerica Pageant.

-- Moda de CarnaVe -- an unforgettable fashion show boasting the

world's leading Latin designers. Miss Mesoamerica

International Beauty Pageant contestants will model daring new

fashions along with traditional costumes from their respective

home countries. Moda de CarnaVe will be hosted in the Great

Hall of the Rouse Company's new showcase retail destination,

The Fashion Show, on the world-renowned Las Vegas Strip.

-- Locuras de CarnaVe -- a night of uproarious comedy, in both

English and Spanish, starring the absolute best comics in the

Hispanic comedy world.

-- Noches de CarnaVe -- a host of top musical artists from

throughout the Latin world, with revolving events staged at

the hottest nightclubs up and down the Vegas Strip.

CarnaVe will also honor and showcase leading Latin performers such as Jacqueline Andere, Francisco Paz, the Ballet Mauricio Bonilla and many others during the various events.

The official launch party, called Noches de CarnaVe, will take place at the famed Mbar in Houston, TX, on July 23. The party will provide attendees with a taste of the many cultural experiences to be presented at CarnaVe 2003 in Las Vegas, including music, art, and fashion exhibits.

A portion of the proceeds from CarnaVe 2003 will be given to selected charities including the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, the nation's leading organization supporting Hispanic higher education.

Several years in the planning, CarnaVe is the brainchild of Gene Dibble, a renowned veteran of multi-cultural event marketing. Looking across an environment increasingly impacted by Latin music, art, politics, food and fashion, Dibble saw an opportunity to create a new brand out of a large-scale event that appealed to upwardly mobile Hispanics as well as general market consumers.

For those wishing to experience the full range of events and VIP amenities, CarnaVe is offering CarnaVe Passport ticket packages. For more information on CarnaVe, or to purchase CarnaVe Passports or single event tickets to CarnaVe 2003, visit the official festival website at www.carnave2003.com. A special bi-lingual hot line, 1-888-4-CARNAVE, has also been established to help festival goers plan their CarnaVe 2003 vacation. Southwest Airlines is offering discounts of up to 10% from locations within the U.S. by calling 800-433-5368 and referencing the CarnaVe I.D. Code (W0268).