(Dancers perform under flags at the 2022 Latino Fest in Madras | Photo by Denise Holley)
Pulsating music, swirling dancers, and the aroma of savory food will fill Sahalee Park in Madras on September 14, when the Latino Community Association (LCA) opens Central Oregon Latino Fest 2024. Since its beginning in 2018, the free festival has grown into the largest celebration of Latin American cultures in Central Oregon.
At 10am, a colorful parade will wind from Madras High School to Sahalee Park at SE Seventh and C streets. The festival will kick off at 11am and present six hours of local talent and speakers on the park stage. In the afternoon, the band Los Cumbiamberos from Eugene will take the stage.
Visitors can chat with folks at community resource tables and booths that represent the Latin American cultures present in Central Oregon. Kids can bash piñatas, play games, and cool off in the park’s water spouts.
LCA thanks our Presenting sponsors U.S. Bank and PacificSource, plus other business and organization sponsors, for their generous support of the festival.
To present your organization or join the parade, call Ana Bueno at 541-325-6837 or visit latinocommunityassociation.org/calendar/latino-fest, where the stage schedule will soon be posted. If you would like to volunteer for the event, click here or call Maricruz Valdovinos at 541-633-6712.