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Tacos, bachata, futsal, and more at Harrisonburg's Hispanic Festival

COSPU

The Hispanic Festival returns to Harrisonburg this weekend at Ralph Sampson Park. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.

[music from Bodoma Garifuna Culture Band]

Crimson Solano is the executive director of COSPU. The organization threw its first event 12 years ago as the Salvadoran Festival, and from there it grew into a multicultural Hispanic Festival.
Crimson Solano
Crimson Solano is the executive director of COSPU. The organization threw its first event 12 years ago as the Salvadoran Festival, and from there it grew into a multicultural Hispanic Festival.

Food, music, and dancing from Mexico and Central and South America will be on display this Saturday at the 2022 Hispanic Festival.

CRIMSON SOLANO: We're very excited about the festival. We're going to have music, we're going to have really delicious food, we're going to have activities for the whole family.

Crimson Solano is the executive director of the organization COSPU, which started the festival 12 years ago.

SOLANO: We have a band coming all the way from New York. They will sing bachata, which is a type of music that pretty much everyone loves.

Local employers and community organizations will also be there, as well as futsal tournaments for youth and adults.

SOLANO: Don't feel that just because it's the Hispanic festival, it's [only] for Hispanic people, no. This is a celebration for our community. We are a great community, a welcoming city. Just come with an open mind and have fun. Just let us teach you about our culture and traditions, and we will together have a good day.

The event is free to attend, with food available for purchase. The festivities kick off at 9 a.m. on Saturday.

[music from La Chanchona 503]