Latin Summer Festival 2010 at Trout Lake (John Hendry Park)

photo credit: rieh

It would be a sin on my part, as a Hispanic myself, to neglect to mention the 10th annual Latin Summer Festival which is happening tomorrow (Sunday August 15th). One of Vancouver’s longest running Hispanic cultural festivals, the LSF celebrates its 10th anniversary this month. The festival is an inclusive community celebration promoting Hispanic heritage through art, dance, food and music.

Date: Sunday, August 15, 2010
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Location: Trout Lake (John Hendry Park), Victoria Drive and East 15th Avenue, Vancouver, B.C.

Organized by Latinos in Action, the festival was established in 2001 after the devastating El Salvador earthquakes to enhance awareness of Hispanic culture in Canada and establish a sense of community among local Latinos. The festival features musical and dance performances from salsa, flamenco, reggae and other genres. Food pavilions offer traditional dishes from countries like Argentina, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador and Peru, with food items that are difficult to find in Vancouver any other time of the year. There is also an artisan market with goods from South America and a children’s play area.

Metro Vancouver’s growing Hispanic community of more than 65,000 (according to Statistics Canada’s 2006 census) does face challenges and opportunities, and its numbers may be varying as well in the near future (with Canada’s decision to slap visas on Mexican visitors). While admittedly I don’t maintain very strong linkages to the Latino/Hispanic community in Metro Vancouver, I do try to support events like the Vancouver Latin American Film Festival, and I hope to cover the upcoming Bicentennial Mexican Independence celebration.

Hopefully you will be able to