Now in its 17th year, Festival Latino returns to downtown Columbus’ Genoa Park on Saturday, August 11, and Sunday, August 12. Produced by CAPA and presented by HONDA, the free, two-day event will offer children’s activities, food, dance, and music from the heart of Latin America, including performances from Saturday night headliner Obie Bermudez and Sunday night headliner Miriam Cruz.
Festival Latino sponsors include Honda (presenting sponsor), The Columbus Dispatch and Alive! (stage sponsor), the City of Columbus Department of Recreation and Parks, American Family Insurance, Chase Liquid?, AARP, DentaQuest, Molina Healthcare of Ohio, Revol Wireless, State Farm, Nationwide Insurance, Fifth Third Bank, Adecco, Brickman Group, Columbia Gas of Ohio, F & K Iglesia de Cristo, Kroger, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Mount Carmel Health System, State Auto, Columbus Museum of Art, The Ohio State University Center for Latin-American Studies, VSP, and IDT Telecom.
Additional support is provided by El Sol de Ohio, La Raza de Ohio, KidsLinked.com, Telemundo Columbus, Azteca Columbus, and Bounce 23-TV.
ALIVE! MAIN STAGE PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Saturday, August 11
12:00 pm – DJ CaLe
DJ Cale caters to Caribbean and Latin American tastes, spinning salsa, merengue, bachata, reggaeton, Latin pop, Latin dance, house, and a touch of American Top 40 music.
12:30 pm – B.A-Star
Richard Bastar Jr., known as B. A-Star, is a former member of the group Tercera Generation (or 3G) with his brothers, boasting the fact that they are the third generation of Bastar in the music industry. Now pursuing a solo project, B. A-Star has created a new urban dance sound.
1:00 pm – Zancudo
Lead by Victor Zancudo, this band fuses Latin pop with traditional and modern rhythms to create a sound that will make you want to dance. www.myspace.com/victorzancudomusic
2:30 pm – Tony Vega
A renowned salsa singer and bandleader from Puerto Rico, Tony Vega earned a Gold Record for his album Lo Mio es Amor (My Thing is Love) which included the songs “Ella” (“She”) and the English language track “Love is Forever.” He also won a Platinum Record for his album Uno Mismo (Yourself).
4:15 pm – Johnny Rivera
Puerto Rican salsa sensation Johnny Rivera boasts ten albums in his more than 30 years as a Latin singer. His contemporary style combines his exquisite romantic delivery with swinging and aggressive arrangements, earning him four appearances in the top of Billboard’s Tropical/Salsa chart.
6:00 pm – Obie Bermudez
R&B/salsa singer, composer, and Platinum recording artist Obie Bermudez includes a social message in his music, which earned him a 2005 Latin Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Album for Todo el Año (All Year Long).
Sunday, August 12
12:00 pm – DJ CaLe
DJ Cale caters to Caribbean and Latin American tastes, spinning salsa, merengue, bachata, reggaeton, Latin pop, Latin dance, house, and a touch of American Top 40 music.
2:30 pm – Déjà Vu Latin Fusion Band with Enrique Infante
Fronted by singer, songwriter, and musician Enrique Infante, Déjà Vu is a Latin fusion rhythms band. Recipient of a 2010 “Premio Orgullo Peruano” (Peruvian Pride Award), Enrique’s song “Colors of Columbus” was selected as one of the winners for the “200Columbus in Song Contest.” He released his second album Canciones Ajenas (Other People’s Songs) in 2012. www.DejaVuLatinFusion.com
4:15 pm – Toby Love
A former member of the Dominican-American boy band Aventura, vocalist Toby Love performs a unique pop style that mixes R&B, hip-hop, and elements of the traditional Dominican musical form, bachata. www.tobyloveofficial.com
6:00 pm – Miriam Cruz
Best known for her tenure as the lead vocalist of Las Chicas del Can during the 1980s and early ’90s, Miriam Cruz is a merengue singer and actress from the Dominican Republic who made her successful solo debut in 1993. Cruz hits include “Tómalo Tú,” “La Loba,” “Te Propongo,” and “Agua de Sal.” She then took a break from music and established herself as an accomplished actress. Beginning in 2011, she has mounted a comeback as a singer, releasing the singles “Es Cosa de Él,” “Es Necesario,” and “La Carnada.” www.miriamcruz.com
DANCE PLAZA
Saturday, August 11
1:00 pm – Children (6-12yrs) from Centro Esperanza Latina’s folklore classes group, “Danzas de America,” will perform traditional dances from Mexico, Peru, and Colombia. www.CenterForLatinHope.org
3:30 pm – Dayton-area dance company Grupo Caribe will hold a demonstration of the dances of Puerto Rico.
5:30-6 pm – Toledo-based dance company El Corazon de Mexico Ballet Folklorico will demonstrate the beauty and charm of traditional Mexican dances. www.ElCorazonDeMexicoDance.com
Sunday, August 12
1-1:30 pm – Toledo-based dance company El Corazon de Mexico Ballet Folklorico will demonstrate the beauty and charm of traditional Mexican dances. www.ElCorazonDeMexicoDance.com
1:45-2:30 pm – Catch a showcase and celebration of modern Latino style in the Latin Fashion Show. Local adults and children will model a progression of fashion from traditional Latin clothing through the modern designs of today in a live, runway show. Makeup services provided by Mary Kay Cosmetics. Hair services provided by Sol y Luna.
5:15 pm –Perlas Del Caribe, a diverse dance group from Cleveland, will demonstrate merengue, the official dance of the Dominican Republic, and salsa, which originates from the Cuban Son style of dancing.
AMERICAN FAMILY INSURANCE CHILDREN’S AREA
12 pm – 6 pm daily, located next to the Dance Plaza, no charge for activities
Saturday, August 11
12:00 pm – Watch a taekwondo exhibition given by instructor Enrique Infante and a few intermediate students from the Columbus-based Centro Esperanza Latina and Infante Taekwondo School.
2:00-3:00 pm – Local Latin fusion artist Enrique Infante will host an interactive hour for children in which they can sing along with traditional Hispanic songs, listen to short stories about Latin American culture, and join a drum circle.
3:30-4:00 pm – So cold, it’s hot! Join COSI for their live, liquid oxygen show and learn more about one of the coldest liquids on earth and the amazing things it can do.
4-5 pm – Columbus Clippers mascot Lou Seal will visit the Children’s Area to meet young fans and pose for pictures. www.ClippersBaseball.com
Sunday, August 12
2:00-3:00 pm – Columbus Crew players will hold a free children’s soccer clinic and sign autographs for fans. The Crew Cat mascot will also make an appearance. www.TheCrew.com
3:30-4:00 pm – So cold, it’s hot! Join COSI for their live, liquid oxygen show and learn more about one of the coldest liquids on earth and the amazing things it can do.
4:00-5:00 pm – Local Latin fusion artist Enrique Infante will host an interactive hour for children in which they can sing along with traditional Hispanic songs, listen to short stories about Latin American culture, and join a drum circle.
Additional children’s activities will include:
COSI’s Science Spot – This traveling exhibition gives families the opportunity to play, explore, and learn about science together with hands-on kiosks featuring activities to help children learn about basic science concepts, including force and motion, structures, magnetism, gadgets, and more.
Mexican Flowers – Big, beautiful flowers are used in Mexico to decorate on days of celebration. Join the members of Organización de Damas Latinas as they help children construct these colorful creations.
Balloon Twisters – Balloon artists from Creative Distinctions will create fun balloon designs for children from 2-4pm daily.
ARTISTS’ SHOWCASE
Ohio-based Latin artists will display and sell their visual artwork in the Artists’ Showcase area. Featured artists will be:
Abraham Cordova – Winner of the 2002 Scholastic Art and Writing American Visions Award and a 2006 graduate of the Columbus College of Art and Design, Cordova specializes in portraits done with watercolors, charcoal, and colored pencils.
Vrindarani Muñoz – With a degree in art design and communication, Munoz’s art pieces have been exhibited in many galleries and festivals. She enjoys portraits of human figures in faces created with acrylic, oil, and watercolor paints.
Carlos Roa – Influenced by native roots and inspired by other cultures, painter Carlos Roa takes colors, designs, and dream influences and applies them to his work in an effort to visually express things in a diversified way. His main goal is to inspire and unify his audience through his unique style.
COMMUNITY RESOURCES AREA
The following organizations will have information available about education and community programs:
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio www.bbbscolumbus.org
Economic and Community Development Institute www.ecdi.org
Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland Council, Inc. www.gsoh.org
Homes on the Hill Community Development Corporation www.hoth-cdc.org
Montaña de Luz/Office for Catholic Latino Ministry www.montanadeluz.org
U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration www.osha.gov
HEALTH & WELLNESS AREA
The following organizations will offer health screenings and bilingual information on health and social services:
Central Ohio Diabetes Association www.diabetesohio.org
Columbus Division of Fire Recruitment Office www.columbusfire.org
Flying Horse Farms www.flyinghorsefarms.org
Franklin County Office on Aging www.officeonaging.org
Maryhaven www.maryhaven.com
St. Vincent Family Centers www.svfc.org
FOOD VENDORS
Festival Latino will offer a variety of cuisine from Latin America and beyond. Vendors include:
Antojitos Criollos (Puerto Rican fare)
Azteca Catering (Mexican fare)
D’Angelo’s Bakery (Argentinean pastries and paellas)
D’s Dogs (hot dogs)
El Manantial Latino (Columbian fare)
Frozen Bananas
Giant Lemonade Cup
I Cee Rainbows (Italian ice)
Manna Banana (chocolate-dipped bananas)
Panaderia Oaxaqueña (Mexican fare)
Piña Colada
Pollos el Autentico (Peruvian fare)
Rancho Mateo (Columbian and South American fare)
Rapicci’s Italian Ice
Sabor Boricua (Puerto Rican fare)
Sanders Concession (funnel cakes, elephant ears, lemonade, snow cones)
The Spot Latin Grill (Nicaraguan fare)
Weldon’s Ice Cream
MARKETPLACE
The Festival Latino marketplace will include jewelry, arts, crafts, and a variety of other traditional items from Latin America. Vendors include:
A Face Painting Mom (face painting)
Inty Reymi (Ecuadorian crafts)
La Casa Latina (gold jewelry)
Latin Souvenirs (flags, t-shirts, jewelry, etc.)
Lidia’s Place (flags, t-shirts, jewelry, etc.)
Mary Kay Cosmetics
Richard Herman & Associates (immigration books)
Sumakta (Andes crafts)
Festival Policy
Guests are encouraged to bring blankets for lawn seating. Chairs, tents, pets, handbills, solicitation or unauthorized sales, coolers, bicycles, and skateboards are not permitted.
Rain Policy
Festival Latino is a rain or shine event. There is no rain location.
Parking
Paid parking for the public and handicapped is available at COSI (333 W. Broad St.), Veterans Memorial (300 W. Broad St.), and nearby surface lots.
Bicycle Parking
Bicycle racks will be located at the corner of Broad and Washington.
All acts are subject to change without notice.
CALENDAR LISTING
CAPA presents the 2012 FESTIVAL LATINO
Saturday & Sunday, August 11 & 12, 11 am – 8 pm daily
Genoa Park (downtown riverfront)
Celebrate family and community with two days of children’s activities, music, food, and dance from the heart of Latin America. Saturday night performance by Latin Grammy Award winner Obie Bermudez. Sunday night performance by merengue superstar Miriam Cruz. Admission is FREE. www.FestivalLatino.net