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Latino Cultural Festival
Hello, Word Lovers!
I’m always excited when it’s time for the annual Latino Cultural Festival in Hillsboro!
On Sunday, June 4, the 17th annual festival took place at Ron Tonkin field, home of the hosting pro baseball Hillsboro Hops. I was there with my camera and my appetite, ready for great Latin American food, music, vibrant colors and fun.
The Latino Cultural Festival in the Beginning
I first attended in 2018, when the event took place in downtown Hillsboro. The bandstand and wonderful Mayan, flamenco and folk dancers performed in front of the Hillsboro Community Center. Activities and tables or tents spilled out into the streets around the Washington County Courthouse. Intimate but crowded, there were few places to sit and eat, and not much room for kids to get involved.
Originally, the festival was designed as a way for the Latino business community to connect with other local businesses. Over time, it has expanded. Today, it includes an all-day youth soccer tournament; dozens of food and business tents; multiple games, sports and activities for kids; and expanded hours of entertainment for everyone in diverse Washington County.
The Festival in 2023
This year, the weather was perfect – sunny and warm but not hot – although blustery enough to keep things “moving.”
The event opened, as always, with a Mayan blessing and a parade of youth. Participants waved flags of various Latin American countries — someone carried the flag of Israel as well. Green T-shirted festival volunteers followed. Delhaley Aguilar, Miss Oregon Latina, looked lovely in her native apparel as she walked around the stadium in the parade.
Then it was time for people to visit the businesses and vendors, listen to the live bands and take the kids to kick soccer balls, learn some boxing moves, throw basketballs, get their faces painted, and pose for pictures with Barley, mascot of the Hillsboro Hops. In the afternoon, Barley was joined by Blaze and Doug Fir, mascots of the Portland Trail Blazers, who arrived in Blaze the Trail Cat’s van. I got a hug from each of them and a sticker from Blaze. Go Hops and Blazers!!!
In my suspense thriller, Thunderhead Rising, Camila, a young Latina American, celebrates her 15th birthday with a traditional quinceañera (where everything doesn’t go quite as planned). At the Latino Cultural Festival, young women who celebrated their quinceañeras during the year paraded in their beautiful gowns and tiaras and had their photos taken.
Throughout the afternoon, excited young winners from the soccer tournament received their trophies and medals and celebrated with their coaches and supporters.
Later in the afternoon, as the parents of tired children began to drift home with them, older kids and adults danced to the bands in front of the main stage and enjoyed the entertainment. Notably, one woman said she and her family didn’t get to travel to Mexico often. So she was happy to have this wonderful opportunity to expose her kids to their own ancestral culture and learn more about other traditions as well.
Sponsors
I’d be remiss if I failed to mention the event’s primary sponsors: the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, Unitus Credit Union, and the Hillsboro Hops.
The other supporting sponsors were: ICG, the Forest Grove and Hillsboro News-Times, Telemundo Portland, Estrella Jalisco, Hillsboro 2035 Community Plan, Latinobuilt, Portland Community College, Tri-Met, Comcast, Kaiser Permanente, OHSU, the Portland Trail Blazers, Table Community Church, Verizon, Amazon, Evergreen Home Loans, OnPoint Credit Union, PGE, Port of Portland, Rivermark Credit Union, Lucia Isabel Collection, Elemento Latino, Molina Insurance, AMR, Care Group, Oregon Healthcare.gov, the Portland Timbres, Sunset Credit Union and NW Natural.
Many thanks for making this wonderful event possible! And a special thanks to the many volunteers who worked so hard to make the day a success.
Come to the Latino Cultural Festival in 2024!
If you’re in the Portland metro area in early June next year, don’t miss the Latino Cultural Festival! Bring the kids early and plan to party in the evening!
! Viva la cultura latinoamericana ¡
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May the Words Be with You.
Thank you! In addition to the event news I love the connection between this very special annual cultural event and your book.
Thanks,Nanci. I’m sure Carlos and his family would have been there dancing.