by Jon Osterholm

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Hollywood Beach Latin Festival, which brings various Hispanic cultures together in one place for everyone to experience. The festival will show off South Florida’s Latin flavor on Sunday, August 17, from Noon to 8 p.m. at Hollywood’s Broadwalk on the beach. There will be live music, arts and crafts, ethnic foods, children’s activities and booths for community service groups to provide information.

Hollywood resident Jose “Pepe” Lopez’s original plan for the festival, a decade ago, had three elements that are still part of the event today. First, to schedule the festival so it brings people to Hollywood Beach at a crucial time for area businesses. “This (mid-August) is the slowest week in Hollywood,” he said in a telephone interview. Second, he said it was to be “a family type of event for the Hispanic community and the community in general.”

Third, the event is designed to be educational: “I wanted to give out information on health and the environment.” Three of the festival’s continuing major sponsors are two area hospitals and South Florida Water Management District. The theme of this year’s festival is “Health and Environmental Awareness.”

Roguey Dole, special events supervisor for the City of Hollywood, recalled the beginnings of the seaside cultural festival. “The city embraced it initially,” she said. Dole cited Hollywood’s cultural diversity – evident 10 years ago, and more so today – as the driving force behind the city’s prompt interest in helping the festival.

Lopez came to the U.S. from Cuba in 1961, and moved to Hollywood in 1975. He has been president of Hollywood Beach Latin Festival, Inc., the nonprofit that puts on the festival each year. He is president of the Latin Chamber of Commerce of Broward County. Since 2000, he has been employed as the community involvement specialist for the Broward County Sheriff’s Office.

At Hollywood Beach Latin Festival, Inc., everyone is a volunteer, permitting the money earned by the festival to be given to community services. Festival earnings, beyond expenses for entertainment and other services, primarily fund a Broward Community College scholarship for needy students of Hispanic descent. In addition, some of the money will go to the YMCA, Boys and Girls Club and Hispanic Unity of Florida for toys for needy families at Christmas.

Attendance at the initial 1994 festival was about 15,000; last August, it was around 50,000. “We expect more this year,” said Dole. “(The festival) is among the top 10 events in the city.”

The festival put roughly $15,000 into its BCC scholarship and charities in 2002.

Some of the performers scheduled to appear are Hansel y su Orquesta, Lefty Perez and Pedro Jesus. The main stage will be at 600 N. Surf Road, in front of the Terrace Hotel. There will be no charge for admission to the festival.
Other major sponsors include Sun-Sentinel, North Broward Hospital District, United Homes, Memorial Healthcare System and AT&T.

For more information about Hollywood Beach Latin Festival, Inc., or the festival itself, please visit the web site, www.hollywoodlatinfestival.com.... [additional contact info followed]

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Written by Jon Osterholm