Santa Rosa heads south of the border for annual festival

  • 2014-09-27
On September 13, the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts hosted the 5th annual Fiesta de Independencia as it highlighted Mexican Independence and Latino heritage.

The event was family-focused and free to the public. Attractions included authentic food presented by local vendors, games and activities, live music, a car show, and a salsa tasting competition.

The live music offerings included mariachi music and traditional dancers. Food and beverages at the event featured such options as tacos, churros, ceviche, and papusas (a tortilla dish).

For the salsa-tasting competition, local individuals and restaurants enter their salsa creations to be judged by a panel made up of local judges. Three awards were given to both individuals and restaurants, and a ‘People’s Choice’ award was doled out too. Each winner was given a prize pack, including chocolates, wine, and tickets to Center performances.

Many local cultural events are advertised by services like professional poster printing, both by sponsors and by the festival organizers themselves.

The Fiesta has commemorated the Mexican Independence Day (September 16) as part of honoring the history of Latino people and culture. The festival draws more than 3,000 community members each year, and is created with leadership from the Latino Advisory Council. Sponsors include Wells Fargo Bank, the City of Santa Rosa, California Human Development, and TV Azteca.