Press Clippings

Cincy-Cinco: Debut of Latino fest

The first Cincy-Cinco Festival, Saturday and Sunday at Coney Island, 6201 Kellogg Ave., Anderson Township, brings the music, cuisine and culture of various Latin American countries together at the Ohio River venue.

Festival highlights

The first Cincy-Cinco Festival will celebrate Latino culture, values and traditions this weekend at Coney Island: • Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday. • Musical entertainment: Zumba, 3 p.m. Saturday; Big Maracas, 4:15 p.m. Saturday; Monsalve Perez Latin Jazz Project, 5:30 p.m. Saturday; Sammy DeLeon, 7 p.m. Saturday; Ozomatli, 8:30 p.m. Saturday; Mariachi Mass, 11 a.m. Sunday; Tropicoso, 2:30 p.m. Sunday; Trio Son, 3:45 p.m. Sunday; Grupo Fuego, 5 p.m. Sunday; Victor Manuelle, 6:30 p.m. Sunday. • Admission: $10 adults (per day); free to children under age 16. Adult tickets $9 at Kroger locations with Kroger Plus Card. • Parking: $5. • Information: (513) 721-3555; www.cincy-cinco.com.

It's an ambitious debut, with nationally known and regional musicians, dancers, children's activities, sport events, authentic food and education, health and business pavilions.

"We want to make it a first-class event," said Neil Comber, who is co-chairing the event with Alfonso Cornejo. A Procter & Gamble retiree who works as a marketing and management consultant, Comber was born and raised in Mexico; he has lived in Cincinnati about 17 years. Fellow P&G employee Cornejo, also from Mexico, "came up with the idea about a year and a half ago, and he recruited me," Comber said.

They also secured the support of various Cincinnati-based corporations, such as Procter & Gamble, Kroger and PNC Bank. Proceeds from the event will benefit Su Casa Hispanic Ministry, Greater Cincinnati's largest Latino-based charity, Comber said.

With the rapid growth of the Latino community in Greater Cincinnati, Comber explained, they felt that such an event could serve a two-fold goal, "to share our rich culture and tradition with the community at large, and, on the other hand, for newly arrived Latino immigrants, to share the resources available in the tri-state. There's both an educational and entertainment aspect to it."

Although Cincy-Cinco's timing ties into Cinco de Mayo festivities -- "because it's a well-known holiday to the general community," Comber said -- it's not intended as a specifically Mexican festival, but rather as a spectrum of Latino cultures, from Puerto Rico and Panama to Colombia and Peru. (Contrary to popular belief, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's Independence Day, but a festival that commemorates the Mexican Army's defeat of French forces in the 1862 Battle of Puebla.) The festival is also timed to coincide with the Latin celebration of El Dia de los Ninos (Children's Day, April 30).

"Latin Americans really believe in celebrating our future," Comber said. Cincy-Cinco organizers hope to make it an annual event, he added.

• The festival will celebrate Children's Day with a Children's Pavilion of activities, from a poster competition by Cincinnati Public School students on the Children's Day theme of "Dreams of the Future" and performances by CPS students (Saturday only) to hands-on arts and crafts, language lessons, storytelling and loteria (Mexican bingo). Children will also be encouraged to pick up a "passport" at the gate, which will be stamped as they complete activities to be exchanged for prizes.

• The Music Pavilion will feature regional performers and several nationally known recording artists, such as Ozomatli, an L.A. band that fuses Latin and hip-hop sounds; and Puerto Rican salsa/pop singer Victor Manuelle, who's been nominated for both mainstream and Latin Grammys. It will also offer a Mariachi Mass, combining spirituality with "an element of spectacle," said Comber.

• The Dance Pavilion will feature folkloric dance performances, salsa and merengue dance competitions and salsa and mambo demonstrations.

• The Food Pavilion will offer authentic fare, from carnitas and chiles rellenos to escaveche and flan.

• The Sports Pavilion will include a soccer maze, soccer skills competitions, and speed pitch.

• The Education Pavilion will offer information about colleges, trade schools and financial aid.

• The Health Pavilion will feature free medical screenings and information about health.

• The Art Pavilion will showcase local Latino artists.

• The Business Pavilion will feature samples and services from festival sponsors.

Publication Date: 04-29-2004