Cultura Festival celebrates Hispanic culture in Huntsville

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - The Orion Amphitheater was the site for the 2nd Annual Cultura Festival Sunday afternoon.

The event was a surprising smash-hit in 2022, and organizers were hoping to double attendance in 2023. There were food trucks, live music and dancing and a wellness village - all focused on the growing Hispanic population in north Alabama. “It’s about representation in the community.” organizer Melissa Rodriguez told WAFF 48. " We don’t necessarily see that day to day. Having the opportunity to celebrate in places like the Orion it’s a huge deal.”

The event focused on local Latino business owners as well. There were many with booths set up, selling goods and making new friends in the community. WAFF 48′s Gina Benitez hosted a forum for local Latino business owners, talking about their experiences, challenges and success stories.

Rodriguez says that bringing people from all different backgrounds on a day like this is crucial. “The Latino community wants to come together as a whole and celebrate our heritage because we don’t get this opportunity as much here in Huntsville.” Rodriguez said. “We’re from different areas, maybe Miami, Cuba, Mexico, wherever it may be and everybody comes to this event almost as a unified force saying, ‘let’s celebrate our Latin heritage together!’”

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