Columbus’s Festival Latino re-scheduled to August 15-16

The Columbus Association for the Performing Arts (CAPA) will present Festival Latino. The festival was previously presented by the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department, but was discontinued as part of City budget cuts.

“I’ve called on all our residents to step up during these difficult times, and CAPA has answered the call,” said Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman. “I thank the board and staff of CAPA for allowing Columbus to continue to enjoy Festival Latino at a time when public dollars are scarce.”

“When the City approached us about the festival, we were thrilled to be in a position to respond,” stated CAPA Board President Mike Petrecca. “We are honored to present the 14^th annual Festival Latino and look forward to bringing the best of traditional and contemporary Latin-American culture to Columbus.”

The 2009 Festival Latino will return to Genoa Park near downtown Columbus, but will be moved to Saturday & Sunday, August 15 & 16, 2009, from 11am-8pm each day. In the past the festival was one week after Toledo’s LatinoFest, scheduled in June [LatinoFest of Toledo is scheduled for June 13, 2009.]

Admission will be free. The festival will feature Ohio-based Latino bands and dance companies, as well as national music acts, which reflect the diversity of central Ohio’s Latino audiences. The festival will continue to provide a variety of family entertainment and delicious Latino cuisine.

The festival will be coordinated by a steering committee of local Latino leaders to help shape the festival and ensure its success.

“Festival Latino has brought great music, great food, and a diverse audience to downtown Columbus for many years,” stated Luis Alcalde, chair of the Festival Latino steering committee. “The steering committee is grateful and excited that Festival Latino will continue, and with the help and dedication of its members, will make certain this will be a truly great event.”

To share a suggestion or comment about Festival Latino with the steering committee, members of the community can call (614) 719-6744 or send an email to [email protected].