Guthrie Green hosted Festival Americas 2022 – an annual Hispanic and Latino Cultural Festival on Sept. 24, 2022. The multicultural event offered free family-friendly programming and a variety of live entertainment, interactive art exhibits and activities, as well as merchandise from local vendors. As described on the festival website, the event is designed to celebrate the “rich culture of Latin America (and) inspires the next generation of leaders in Tulsa’s growing Hispanic (and) Latino community.”
Scholarships have also been presented to Tulsa area college-bound students. For the 2022 event, five Festival Americas Scholarships were awarded worth $1,000 each. The scholarship is evaluated based on leadership experience, community involvement, and scholastic achievement. The amount of $35,000 has been awarded through festival scholarships over the past five years.
Performers for Festival Americas 2022 included various local dance acts and musical groups, including Ballet Folklorico Sol Azteca, who returned to the stage this year, presenting traditional Mexican dances. Latin Dance 918 also joined the festivities, with an instructor from their Ritmo 918 recreational dance team introducing attendees to bachata, cumbia, and salsa.
Local merchants and food trucks represented an array of Hispanic and Latino businesses across the greater Tulsa area. Esther Wright, owner of Hilo de Amor (Thread of Love), brings examples of textile art, craftmanship, and beauty from her hometown of Oaxaca, Mexico, to the great plains of Oklahoma in the form of artisan handcrafted goods. Wright’s business allows her to give back to the people of Oaxaca. Each purchase returns profits to the original craftsperson, allowing the talented artisans of Oaxaca to reach beyond borders and buyers in the United States.
Tulsa Community College (TCC) was one of many sponsors for the festival. Representatives from the TCC Outreach Center and the Hispanic Student Association (HSA) offered resources and information for services available for students and families. Crafts and activities were available for attendees at the event as well.
The full gallery for Festival Americas 2022 is below.