ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A vendor on the street in downtown Allentown on Sunday held up the colorful hats and flags.
“Viva Puerto Rico, Viva, Santo Domingo,” he cheered.
The merchant, Luis Aniva, wasn’t selling merchandise from his native Ecuador, but instead from the Isla del Encanto and Dominican Republic.
It was a nod to the origins of two of the largest population segments in Allentown, where 55% of residents identify as Latino.
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Ashley Fontones
Indeed, las banderas of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic were the most prominent spotted that day — colors billowing in the blustery wind at the city’s first Fiesta on Hamilton.
The event was attended by thousands, and took over Hamilton Street from Ninth Street to 11th Street.
It was organized by the Greater Lehigh Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Allentown Chamber of Commerce, radio station La MEGA 101.7 FM, Valley Health Partners, the Young Professionals Council, and the Downtown Allentown Business Alliance.
A smaller Calle Ocho
The celebration was an idea of Victor Martinez, owner of La Mega, and Veronica Gonzalez, chief executive officer of Valley Health Partners — inspired by Miami’s Calle Ocho, one of the nation’s largest free Latin musical festivals, which spans 15 street blocks of Little Havana.
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Ashley Fontones
“It does remind me a lot of Calle Ocho, because just like here, there is a very active Hispanic community just like in Miami,” Brian Miranda said.
Miranda owns La Agencia Hispana de Pennsylvania, a home care agency that got its start in Philadelphia.
“We love to see events like this. They build up the community.”
Brian Miranda, owner of La Agencia Hispana de Pennsylvania
La Agencia employs more than 700 Latinos in the commonwealth, in cities including Allentown and Lancaster, where there are a significant number of Spanish speakers.
“Language barriers are big for people who typically receive home care services,” Miranda said. “Some of the older community never bothered to learn English, maybe because they moved here later in life.
“If not for the younger generation now, the grandkids and children that are translating, they have no one. But what happens when they’re working or in school? We provide that companionship and communication.”
As a way to spread cultural pride, Miranda and his staff handed out free swag — stickers and small flags from various Latin American countries.
“The logo of La Agencia is made up of all the colors of the Latin American flags” Miranda said. “Any chance we get to represent the Hispanic community is important, and we love to see events like this.
“They build up the community.”
A celebration of ‘local culture’
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Ashley Fontones
During the six-hour celebration, Martinez, who also is host of a morning show on LA Mega,101.7 FM, entertained the crowd, and DJs spun a mix of salsa and reggaeton hits.
As the afternoon wrapped up, attendees made their way to dance by the stage before headliners Rumba Caliente, Los Adolescentes Orquesta and Oro Solido performed songs at the free concert.
In between the flag-waving and dancing, long lines formed at food trucks and tents serving Puerto Rican pastelillos, bacalitos, Mexican tacos and Cuban croquetas.
Nate Boateng, vice president of community impact and engagement at Valley Health Partners, said he was impressed with the community’s response to the event.
Micaela Hood
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LehighValleyNews.com
“The celebration is for everybody,” Boateng said. “It’s for everybody to learn about the culture, come enjoy the food, and the performances.
“It’s a celebration of the local culture because over the last several decades, that demographic has changed. We are primarily a Latino city, and we should and want to celebrate that.”