DANA POINT : Fiesta Latina Will Be Held on Sunday

What started as a simple music festival has turned into a bridge across two cultures.

Organizers of Sunday’s Fiesta Latina en la Placita hope the day of music will bring in members of the city’s burgeoning Latino community. The free, daylong event will begin at 11:30 a.m. and continue to 6 p.m. at the La Plaza shopping center in downtown Dana Point.

Fiesta founder Colleen Schwandt, a Dana Point Cultural Commission member, got the idea after looking over a city population report.

“The city did some demographic work that showed our Latin population is about 15%,” said Schwandt, who organizes a series of outdoor summer concerts for the city. “I love Latin music and had first just thought about doing a Latin music festival. Then I thought this would be a good way to make our Latin friends feel like they’re a part of the community.”

A variety of Latino entertainment will be featured. Performers will include flamenco duo Alberto de Almar and Rene Castro; Dinastia Nortena, a quartet that plays music from Northern Mexico; samba singer Sonia Santos, and the Mariachi California band.

Two dance groups will be on stage: Xipe Totec, performing ancient ritual Aztec dances, and the Esperanza Flores Dance Group/Ballet Folklorico, which specializes in dances from several Latin American countries.

Also, the local Juaneno tribe will perform ritual Indian dances. A dance contest for children will be held throughout the day.

Mexican and Brazilian food will be available. Crafts from Brazil, El Salvador, Mexico and Guatemala will be on sale.

For more information, call (714) 248-1156.