Festival Latinoamericano, or Latin American Festival, is an annual three day Labor Day

Labor Day

Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...

 weekend festival in downtown Provo, Utah

Provo, Utah

Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...

. The festival highlights Utah

Utah

Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...

's Hispanic culture through food, vendors, and performances and is free to the public. It is currently in its eighth year.

History and Purpose

The festival started out small in 2002 by a local non-profit, Centro Hispano, as a way to involve local Hispanic immigrants in the greater community. The inaugural festival was a giant success, and quickly out-grew its South Provo location. The festival has since become a large yearly event in downtown Provo on the Utah County Historic Courthouse grounds on University Avenue and Center Street. In 2008, over 20,000 people attended the three day event.

The event showcases local performers of Latin dance and music, and also allows attendees to further explore Latin American cuisine and culture through dozens of various vendors. Other attractions include carnival rides and lucha libre

Lucha libre

Lucha libre is a term used in Mexico, and other Spanish-speaking countries, for a form of professional wrestling that has developed within those countries...

.

External links

• Official Site of Festival Latinoamericano
• Official Site of Centro Hispano