Ocoee to recognize Hispanic Heritage Month

OCOEE — Residents who live within the 18-square-mile area of Ocoee represent 33 ethnicities, William Maxwell recently told city commissioners.

Maxwell is a member of Ocoee’s Human Relations Diversity Board, which strives to promote understanding, respect, goodwill and equality among all of the city’s residents and businesses.

One vital way it does this is by hosting Ocoee’s vivid, musical and entertaining Fiesta de Colores. This 5th annual celebration is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at Bill Breeze Park, 125 N. Lakeshore Drive. It will be held rain or shine.

The free, family-friendly Fiesta highlights Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. The festival also emphasizes the tradition and cultural significance of the Hispanic-Latino community.

“Ocoee is an international community, and we embrace the many ethnicities represented in the city,” said Joy Wright, Ocoee’s community relations manager and the city staff liaison to the Diversity Board.

Wright said the festival usually draws anywhere from 500 to 1,000 people. As at past celebrations, the upcoming Fiesta de Colores will feature:

• Latin food and other food

• Health screenings by Walgreens

• Music by DJ MENEZ, of Orlando

• Performances by Salsa Heat, of Central Florida

• A fashion show by members of Judah Flo, an Orlando nonprofit organization

• A parade of flags, representing 17 Latin countries

Also, children will be able to have their faces painted, jump around in a bounce house and cruise along on a small train.

And don’t forget the piñatas.

“The piñatas are very popular for the children,” Wright said. “They’ll be filled with candy, and the children have a really good time.”

Kids will be separated into two groups — one for ages 3-6 and the other for ages 7-10 — and take turns trying to break open the piñatas.

The festival also will include a presentation by the Ocoee Police Department Honor Guard, a PC Cruiser demonstration by police department employees and a puppet show presented by the Ocoee Fire Department. The puppet show will educate children about fire safety.

In addition, attendees will be able to try to win door prizes, and they can visit educational, business and arts-and-crafts’ booths set up by dozens of vendors.