Culture fair shows off traditional Hispanic dances

When Union Latina St. Charles wanted to do something to help celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in 2005, the group's first thought was to honor the culture of the city's Mexican population.

But a change of focus moved the group's members to represent more countries in a larger-scale event.

"It evolved into bringing different groups," said Abraham Romero, Union Latina's secretary and the organizer of the fair. "There is no festival of this type in the area where different (Hispanic) cultures are shown."

The annual Latino heritage festival returns for a fourth year under the new name Cultura Festival. It runs from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday at Pottawatomie Park in St. Charles. The event was initially held during Hispanic Heritage Month in September but was moved to attract a larger audience with the summer weather and schools on break.

Among the attractions will be dance troupes from throughout the suburbs performing dances in the styles of several countries, including Bolivia, Colombia and Mexico.

In past years, the crowds have been as diverse as the performers, Romero said, with community members representing a variety of nationalities and backgrounds attending the fair.

Hispanics account for 8.34 percent of St. Charles' population, according to Claritas, a demographics and marketing company.

Union Latina also offers English as a Second Language classes in St. Charles.

Romero, 22, lives in St. Charles and was born in Michoacán, a state in southwestern Mexico on the Pacific Ocean.

He said the group wanted to give people from different backgrounds a chance to show off pride in their past.

And it also gives attendees a chance to see the diversity offered in the Hispanic community, Romero said.

"Usually, the more modern-day thing is usually only Mexico and Puerto Rico," he said. "It's important for people to see the different cultures and see different countries."

What's going on?

A list of events at the Cultura Festival in Pottawatomie Park this weekend

Saturday

•11 a.m. to noon and 5:30 to 6 pm: Alejandro Antonion "La Voz," Mariachi singer

•Noon to 1 p.m.: Guerreros de Huitzilopochti, Aztec dancers

•2-3 pm: Folklore Dance from Schaumburg: Grupo Folklórico Quetzal, regional dances from Colombia and Mexico

•3-4 pm: Disc jockey from Sonido Mexicali

•4-5 pm: Corazon Boliviano, folkloric dance from Bolivia and Ecuador

•5-5:30 pm: Somos Colombia, folkloric dance from Colombia

•6:30 to 7:30 pm: Ballet Folklorico, regional dances from Mexico

Sunday

•Noon to 1 p.m.: Alejandro Antonion "La Voz," Mariachi singer

•1-2 pm: Reflejo Latino, salsa and merengue dancing

•2-3 pm: Disc jockey from Sonido Mexicali

•3-4 pm: Ballet Folkorico Quetzalcoatl, regional dances from Mexico

•4:30-5 pm: Somos Colombia, folkloric dance from Colombia

•5-6 pm: Guerreros de Huitzilopochti, Aztec dancers