Activities at Latino Fest interrupted by rainstorm

Despite the ominous dark clouds over Bloomington, Karst Farm Park was crowded during Latino Fest Saturday. More than 30 tables were staffed by various local organizations such as Ivy Tech State College, Mujeres en Conexion, Culture Week and League of Women Voters, among others. \nThe Bloomington community, with its different needs and interests, served as a background for various fairs, including exhibits on oil painting and jewelry, and a health fair that featured blood pressure testing, information on prostate and breast cancer, information on HIV and a puppet show on behavioral health. Near the performance stage, Kilroy's and El Norteño Mexican Restaurant sold food and beverages.\nChildren enjoyed nine types of activities, including participating in an IU soccer clinic and face painting. A popular activity was Explore the Rainforest, created by the Monroe County Parks & Recreation Department. This booth exhibit transported visitors to a tropical rainforest, reproducing the soft ground, dark green leaves and a large fallen trees. Also in the children's area was an informational booth for Girls, Inc. of Monroe County. Staffed by Teresa Saksa, the outreach coordinator and an IU graduate, along with Kindra Thomas, 12, of Broadview Elementary School, the booth introduced the after school program. Thomas is a member of Girls, Inc. and related her experiences to interested students. \n"The Latino Fest had a bunch of different local organizations that came and gave information about their organization," Saksa said. "When we found out, we jumped at the chance."\nSaksa said she felt being available at Latino Fest was a contribution to the community.\n"We thought it would be a great opportunity to reach out to the community we don't have a big population in and promote diversity," she said.\nSaksa was also promoting the open house Girls, Inc. will be holding from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Sept. 14.\nThough expectations were high for the fest, the event was canceled at 4 p.m., only two hours after it had started because of damp weather. Tyler Ferguson, of the Monroe County Parks & Recreation Department, said canceling the event was disheartening. \n"It was a tough, stressful call to cancel because of how much planning went into the event," Ferguson said.\nThe difficult decision was made primarily because of safety concerns, Ferguson said. Many information booth participants leaving and the stage equipment getting water damage contributed to the decision. \n"Given the weather predictions and the radar, we didn't think we could continue," Ferguson said.\nFerguson explained that it seemed people were staying mainly to hear the music, but many spectators left when the stage closed. \nSaksa said that before the stage closed, the pavilion near the stage was packed with people trying to gain some shelter from the lightning and rain.\n"I liked seeing all the people, and I am sad because I wanted to have more Spanish speaking people at Girls, Inc." Saksa said.\nBefore the cancelation, the crowd was able to enjoy diverse entertainment. Sophia Travis performed Argentinean Tango. Then Ballet Folklorico Internacional did the "Dance Jarabe Tapatio," or Mexican hat dance. Isaac Salazar played Nicaraguan folk music. Carmen Ruiz & Gonzalo De La Casa staged the Sevillanas dance. And finally, Angelique Zuluaga presented Columbian folk music.\n"It is so sad," said Maria File-Muriel, program assistant of special projects for the City of Bloomington Community and Family Resources Department. "We had only three music and two dance acts make it on to the stage, so we had a lot more to come."\nSince the cooking demonstrations were indoors, they continued despite the cancellation of the rest of the festival. The cooking demonstrations included Ecuadorian rice with shrimp, Mexican tamales, Colombian meat fritters and Uruguayan dessert-pasta frola.\n-- Contact staff writer Maurina Paradise at paradise@indiana.edu.