The 3rd annual Orlando Latino Fest is coming to downtown’s Luminary Park the weekend of October 11th, with a variety of music, food, art exhibits, and local small-business vendors to mark the last weekend of Hispanic Heritage Month.
Festival founder Victor Luna said the idea for the event started as a way to share some of his own rich experiences and perspectives as a Puerto Rican man growing up in Connecticut.
He says the fest has now grown to an invitation to everyone to experience a mix of Latino cultural offerings represented through a local lens, starting with the universal languages of dance and music…with an Orlando flavor.
Three local bands from the Orlando area, including a Colombian band performing Colombian kumba music,” explained Luna. “We have a dance showcase - they're going to be doing a multi-Caribbean dance show. We'll also have a band, Swing D Kalle - they are going to be performing a lot of the classic salsa [and] merengue.”
“And then the headliner, who is actually from New England, Domenic Marte, and he's going to be bringing his whole Bachata band,” Luna added. “He's one of the hottest young Latino pop Bachata artists.”
Luna said this third year is an important one. As he has stressed each year, though, this event is for everyone, with an aim to create space for attendees to be themselves and learn from each other.
“This is a celebration that we get to celebrate together and not be afraid,” Luna said. “You know, it is kind of brave for us to go ahead and keep doing what we do, because if we don't do it, no one else is going to do it. So, we need to let everybody know that this is something that's going to pass, and that we’re not afraid, and we're not going to be hiding, and we're going to continue celebrating our culture.”
A number of professionals will be on hand to offer health screenings, as well.
Luna said he wants to be clear that this is a “good vibes only” kind of event.
He called Orlando Latino Fest “a statement that the Latinos know how to have a good time. We know how to represent we know how to support each other. This is all about the positive.”
