Fiesta in the Park - a Huge Success

By Krishang Gupta

The second annual “Fiesta in the Park” to celebrate Hispanic heritage and culture was held in Port Washington – and was a huge success.

Over 300 people came together at Blumenfeld Family Park in downtown Port Washington, to eat foods from Latin America, enjoy family fun activities, learn about South and Central America, and watch interesting Hispanic cultural performances.

This wonderful family event was hosted by the Town of North Hempstead, with Town Supervisor Jen DeSena leading the day’s festivities.

Other hosts were the Town Parent Resource Center (PRC), the Landmark on Main Street, and the Port Washington Public Library.

“Hispanic Heritage Month is a special occasion. It’s the perfect time to celebrate the diversity of our Town and the important contributions made by Hispanic-Americans to our local communities,” stated Supervisor DeSena. “The Hispanic-American community has helped strengthen our Town in innumerable ways, and this event is a great opportunity to celebrate the positive impact they’ve had on our communities - and enjoy some really delicious food !”

Some of the performances held throughout the event, included “Morenada Central,” a Bolivian dance group; “Los 9 Del Sabor,” a class demonstrating a medley of Hispanic food dishes; and a display of multinational Latin American clothes and dresses. In addition, all non-profits and vendors offered activities for children.

The Port Washington Public Library added new countries to its repertoire for the Latin American passport experience as well.

Latin American cuisines were served by several food trucks, which had a variety of different main-course options available for purchase. “Churro Chick” came to serve countless mouthwatering flavors of churros, including the original flavor, Nutella, cookies and cream, and many others. Abuelita’s Deserts by Isaac Santiago and Smusht by Steve Edelso returned after successful participation in the first Fiesta in the Park a year ago.

The event was co-sponsored by numerous businesses, and because of their help, the event was a huge success. Everyone embraced Latin American culture and enjoyed the Fiesta.