On Saturday, over 12,000 people from the Goshen community and beyond gathered at Powerhouse Park for the 4th annual Hispanic Heritage Festival. 

The festival celebrated each Hispanic culture through food, singing, dancing, traditional performances and activities for all ages.

From the hot pupusas sold at the El Salvadorian food stand, the overflowing cups of tropical fruit smothered in Tajin, to the Mexican Consulate’s “Cry for Freedom” (El Grito) ceremony, all traditions were represented in one way or another. 

Lily Herrera, a junior broadcasting major from Santa Clarita, California said, “It’s always so cool to see people of all ethnicities and backgrounds to take part in something that they aren’t used to.”

Gilberto Pérez Jr., vice president for student life and Hispanic serving initiatives, dean of students, and member of the planning committee for the Hispanic Heritage Festival, expressed gratitude for the community response to the celebration. 

“It’s a great opportunity for building bridges with many different people across the community, and so you could see visibly the rich diversity within the group that were gathered,” Pérez said.

“There were a lot of people who were just very happy with the food, they were happy with the performances, they were happy to sing their national anthem from their home country.”

Kevin Cota Juarez, a sophomore business major from Nogales Senora, Mexico, felt right at home within the mix of Hispanic cultures. 

“I feel like I was with my people,” he said. “They don’t judge where you’re from, who you are, the way you dress, how you look … they’re just there to have a great time.”

For Cota, dancing on the plywood platform to banda, a subgenre of regional Mexican music, quickly became his highlight of the festival. 

“The music is just something that reminds me of home, it reminds me of the way that I grew up and when I had the time to dance there, it was amazing.”

Herrera also valued the space for showing appreciation for her culture. 

“I definitely danced as much as I could,” Herrera said, “[It] is one of my favorite ways to express my love for my heritage and the music representation was great.”

The last three years, the festival took place in downtown Goshen, but was moved to Powerhouse Park to accommodate the large crowds and provide more flexibility for activities, like, a designated kids zone, a Charro horse-riding show, a soccer tournament and a boxing match, all in the same space. 

“I think being at Powerhouse Park gave it a feel of some festivals that happen in Latin American countries because they’re in green spaces at parks,” Pérez said. 

From afternoon to night, the energy around these activities stayed vibrant, but for Pérez, strong engagement not only came from individuals but also from organizations involved in the festival. 

Organizations like the Boys and Girls Club, Crossroads United Way, Community Foundation of Elkhart County, Lippert Components and many more showed further engagement, providing a reach beyond individuals and involving entities invested in the community. 

“I think that that is a big advantage to the festival that it also brings community organizations that maybe wouldn’t come together,” Pérez said. 

In this way, the Hispanic Heritage Festival had more reach than ever before. 

“This year’s festival … became more like the real thing for people,” Pérez said.