The eighth annual Longwood Festival brought hundreds of residents to Bill Rainey Park Saturday to celebrate Hispanic culture.
A little rain did not stop revelers from dancing to their favorite music as salsa and merengue artists showed what Hispanic culture has to offer.
“I got some records, like some Hector Lavoe records, El Gran Combo. I take them, flip it with some modern swagger,” said Soundboy Cartagena, of Hip-Hop Jibarito.
Besides live music, the festival also offered plenty of food, drinks, and fun.
Council Member Rafael Salamanca teamed up with other elected officials and the Hispanic Federation to host the event.
“It’s a really great opportunity for the community to just come together and be a community, have a good time,” said Assembly Member Amanda Septimo.
Resident Claudia Gonzalez is from Loiza in Puerto Rico. She said her mother prepares traditional Puerto Rican dishes from scratch to give the community a taste of home.
“We come to these festivals, representing the Bronx and our culture. We serve arroz con gandules, bacalaitos, which we’re famous for. Acapulco, which we’re also famous for,” she said.
The U.S. Census Bureau says over 56% of the Bronx population identifies as Hispanic or Latino. That number, organizers say, shows how important an event like this is for the community.
“We’re all family, we’re all friends. Regardless of what side of the wall you’re on, we’re all together,” said Community Board 2 Chairman Roberto Crespo.
