Latino culture celebrated at 2nd annual festival

Hundreds gathered in Bryan Park Saturday afternoon to celebrate the second annual Fiesta del Otoño – or Fall Festival – for a taste of Latin American culture.\nFiesta del Otoño marks the start of fall and the closing of National Hispanic Heritage Month, which began Sept. 15 and recognized the independence of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico and Chile. Bloomington celebrated the festival Saturday with an afternoon of Latin American food, music, crafts and education. \nDozens of local organizations filled booths around the Bryan Park lawn. Fiesta-goers visited the booths as live bands played in the background.\nFamilies and friends lounged on the grass, eating authentic Latin American food provided by local restaurants, such as La Charreada and El Norteño, while others showed off their salsa dancing skills. Many sang along to the music and shook bean-filled film canisters to the beat.\nFor Indianapolis resident Andrew White, the festival was an introduction into Latin American culture.\n“I realized how rich Latino culture is and how much we’re surrounded by it,” White said. “And the music was really fun – different from what I usually listen to.”\nThe tables ranged from wood carving crafts from Bolivia to Latino cultural clubs to the Arthur Murray Dance Studio. Many tables offered information about Latin American affairs, such as immigration and language barriers, and tried to get the community involved with the issues. \nOthers, such as the Monroe County Public Library, which has a collection of Spanish-language books and films, wanted to make their presence known to the Latin American community.\nThe event was important for raising awareness about issues such as the need for bilingual teachers, said Roger Meredith, education director of the Bloomington Area Arts Council. \n“(Latin Americans) are a segment of the community that may not know about us,” Meredith said. “We give out scholarships and work with schools, so we want to reach those Latino children and families.”\nLillian Casillas, director of La Casa, IU’s Latino Culture Center, and Mexico City native who jokingly describes herself as a Latina-Hoosier, supports the festival’s dual role of getting information to local Latinos and spreading Latino culture to the public.\n“The celebration of the Latino culture is something that should (indclude) everybody,” she said. “With the growth of nearly 50 million Latinos in this country, people want to know more about the culture because they know they’ll come across it.”