Surrey's Civic Plaza was full of great music, dancing, food and much more Saturday.
Paula Zerpa, host and emcee, said the two-day festival celebrates unity and the Latino community's culture.
The Surrey Latin Festival is on Saturday and Sunday (July 13-14) in Civic Plaza (13450 104 Ave). Admission is free for a variety of Latin American cultural activities, including music, dance, food, and art. According to a detailed program guide on surreylatinfestival.com/program, the festival runs from 2 to 9 p.m. on Saturday and 1 to 7:15 p.m. on Sunday.
"We are super excited to showcase Vancouver and Surrey in general, what we are about, what is our food, about our culture, the dances and music," Zerpa said. "To bring not just our love for music and our love for community, but also how proud we are to be part of Canada and how we can bring the sunshine from our countries to here," Zerpa added.
The festival is run and organized by women. "I am proud as a woman to be emceeing an event that is completely or organized in thought through and, you know, imagined by women," Zerpa added.
Zerpa encourages everyone to come to the plaza today and tomorrow and have fun. "This is the one spot in the year that you can come and just be as loud as you want because there is no hesitation, Latinos were loud, we're proud, and we're here," she added.
Sunday (July 14) is significant in parts of South America, as Argentina is set to play against Columbia in the 2024 Copa América final. "I think all the Latinos are super excited and nervous about it."
"It's kind of like a mix of feelings, so like, I'm nervous about the game tomorrow, but I was ready to dance, and I'm ready to be happy," Zerpa said.
-With files from Tom Zillich
