By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
When you expect 300 or so people and get five times that many, you’ve had a great festival – and on one of the hottest days of the year.
The first Festival de Hispanos, held last Saturday on the Madison St. Plaza in Decatur, was a huge success. And plans are already underway for another one next year.
The Canales family put the festival together: brothers Carson and Drexler, mom Stephanie, and dad Victor.
“It was estimated that there were around 1,500 people there, start to finish (3-9 p.m.). And, honestly, we thought maybe 300 people would come out,” Victor Canales said this week.
“It was great to see people enjoying themselves. It was a laid-back atmosphere.”
For Canales, part of the joy of the first-ever festival was the various cultures involved.
“This wasn’t just a Mexican festival,” Victor said. “It was a Hispanic festival. There was all different kind of food, for example; from Ecuador, Cuba, Mexico, the Dominican Republic. There the dancing, the music, the Low-riders (cars). It was great to see.”
The music was provided by Los Gatos (the cats) out of Fort Wayne.
“Carson and Drexler did a great job putting it all together; Stephanie too,” Victor noted. “They have a lot of great ideas. And they’ll be taking it over next year. There going to have Mariachi band.”
So that means they will be another Festival de Hispanos next year?
“Oh, yeah; they already have a date, the first Saturday in September,” Victor exclaimed.
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