Fostoria Latino Fest set for next weekend

FOSTORIA — When it comes to Latino Fest in Fostoria, its founding Garcia family takes an "all things in moderation" approach. "I know the city enjoys it because you hear everybody talk about it — 'Oh, we're looking forward to Latino Fest this year!' 'When's Latino Fest going to happen'" said Sierra Garcia, a second-generation member of the founding family. "I always say, 'The fourth Saturday in August.'"The one question we get asked, I think, every year — I kid you not — is 'Why don't you go to two days?' And I always say, 'Why go two when one day is amazing?' ... I could never bring Latino Fest to be more than one day because the one day we have is perfect every year. The one day we have brings everyone out."This year's celebration of Fostoria's Latino heritage is scheduled for 2 to 11 p.m., next Saturday, in the municipal parking lot bordering Market Square Park, at the intersection of Main and Center streets. This will be the 20th year the festival has taken place under the Garcias' watch, Sierra Garcia said. Admission is free and open to the public.She said Dr. Ryan Kinn, a Fostoria dentist, is sponsoring the event, and Best Western Fostoria Inn and Suites is offering a special rate to those who say they are staying there while in the city to attend the festival.While it requires a lot of work to conduct the event, it's also an enjoyable experience, Garcia said."It's a lot of fun," she said. "When my dad (Jesse Garcia) started it, 20 years ago, I was 11 and my brother (Jesus, nicknamed "Goose") so we both grew up at the festival. Now, I have a daughter (Ayonah Garcia) who's going to be 9 and she loves the festival. She loves everything about it. She loves her culture, so being Hispanic — she loves that part of it, but she loves the festival on its own. She loves being around everybody and she loves the dancing and all the people coming out and just the environment, the atmosphere that it brings to the downtown area."New to the festival this year will be a specified children's area, open from 2 to 8 p.m., that will include four bounces, a mechanical bull for people to try staying upon and games.Also new will be a chancla throwing contest, to see who can fling one the farthest. A chancla is a sandal type of footwear that, Garcia said, is humorously legendary in Latino culture as a disciplinary projectile directed at children."In Latino households, it was a joke — 'You're going to get hit with a chancla if you don't behave,'" she said with a laugh. "So, you can throw a chancla, to see who can throw it the farthest.'"It's a fun game. Last year, we did the taco-eating contest That was fun. This year, we were, like, 'Let's do a chancla-throwing contest.' No kids will be hurt in this event," she said with a laugh.A beer garden will be in operation, where four bands are scheduled to play; La Nueva Onda, a group of seven brothers and their father from Adrian, Michigan; Grupo Dezeo, from Toledo; Conjunto Champz, from Saginaw, Michigan; and Los Aztecas, a foursome of brothers from Toledo.Those attending will also have their choice of 14 food trucks to patronize."No one should go home hungry," said Garcia, who also encouraged visitors to bring their own seating, such as lawn chairs.Though Latino Fest went on hiatus for a few years around the time of the coronavirus pandemic and other operators ran one for a year, the Garcias consider it their baby and one that serves in "bringing the community together," Sierra Garcia said."That is what is important to us," she said. "It is one day that the community comes out and everybody has a good time. There is something for everybody to do; something for everybody to try. We just love seeing the community come out and enjoy themselves."