By Louis Zylka
The 830 Times
Casa de la Cultura, 302 Cantu St., will host its annual Noise For Toys drive on Saturday, Nov. 29, starting at 6:30 p.m. The event encourages Del Rio residents to donate money or unwrapped gifts to support underprivileged families during the holiday season, while offering a full night of live music from local and out-of-town performers.
Admission is either a $5 donation or an unwrapped toy. Misfits Wandering Emporium will serve hamburgers, Philly-cheesesteak sandwiches and non-alcoholic drinks throughout the event.
Noise For Toys is organized by The Code 88s, a longtime Del Rio punk band. Drummer Gustavo Chapa said the group has kept the toy drive going for 16 years. The performances will be held indoors in case of rain, and Chapa said the show is open to all ages.
He asks attendees to be respectful during the performances and also encourages donations of canned or wrapped food for Casa de la Cultura’s community refrigerator.
This year’s lineup features While They Bled, American Swine, Shroud, The Code 88s, and rappers Anakin and OGZ. Shroud, a heavy-metal band from San Antonio, will perform in Del Rio for the first time, while local rapper Anakin will make his Noise For Toys debut. Chapa said While They Bled remains a fan favorite with longtime supporters of the event.
Chapa thanked Casa de la Cultura for providing a venue and the community for keeping the toy drive alive. “When we started, we didn’t know anything about running a toy drive,” he said. “But we wanted to give back to the community, and we’re thankful this event has lasted as long as it has.”
DJ Andy Kandi will provide ambient music throughout the night. Doors open at 6 p.m., and music is scheduled until 10:30 p.m.
