HoLa Hora Latina is proud to present the 2009 Hola Festival, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, September 19, at Market Square. This event marks the tenth year for the Hola Festival.
The Hola Festival is a day-long celebration of diversity and a cultural salute to East Tennessee. Where else in Knoxville can you not only eat salsa, but dance to it, enjoy tango, rumba and flamenco, hear the sounds of the Andes, “travel” with your very own passport through different countries to learn facts and geography and about different cultures, enjoy zoo visitors, puppets, and get important information on education, health, classes, kids safety and so much more?
Known for its rich mix of music, dance, food, arts and crafts, the Hola Festival also features its unique Parade of Nations, a visual treat that highlights the varied and colorful costumes of Spain and Latin America. Our goal is to emphasize the diversity of Latino culture and music.
Market Square and Krutch Park will be filled with the exciting sounds of salsa performed by the music group Kazique, as well as meringue and mariachi bands. The Southern Arts Federation, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Tennessee Arts Commission, has awarded HoLa Hora Latina a grant to bring Vientos del Pueblo to the festival to perform native folk music of the Andes Mountains of South America. Thanks to Comcast, Nickelodeon's Dora the Explorer will be at the 2009 Hola Festival!
Only the Hola Festival gives you the opportunity to experience the rich and diverse Hispanic culture in a fun, friendly and educational environment. Come join us! The Hola Annual Resource Guide, which includes a Yellow Page section in Spanish about law, health and education, will be available at the festival, and at HoLa’s new office at the Emporium Building (100 S. Gay Street, Suite 109.)
Admission is free, but visitors are encouraged to donate non-perishable food such as rice and beans to benefit Second Harvest Food Bank. There is a nominal charge for some of the children’s activities.
Sponsors this year include: The University of Tennessee, US Cellular, Comcast, Charter Communications, CBID (Central Business Improvement District), TVA, Regal Entertainment Group, Bush Brothers and Company, Cherokee Distributing Company, Pepsi , Target, First Tennessee Foundation, Clayton Family Foundation, City of Knoxville, Knox County, Akima Club, Mercy Health Partners, UT-Battelle, East Tennessee Children's Hospital, Safe Kids, Home Depot, Scripps Networks, Clayton Homes, Vanderbilt Mortgage, 21st Mortgage Corporation, Knoxville Area Association of Realtors, AmeriChoice, International Flair, Mi Banco, Southern Arts Federation, Tennessee Arts Commission, National Endowment for the Arts, Knoxville Zoo, Market Square District Association and Sound Ventures. Media sponsors include Knoxville News Sentinel, WBIR, Journal Broadcast Group (102.1 FM), WKZX (93.5 FM), WUOT (91.9 FM), MiVidaToday and Mundo Hispano. Special thanks to LeBlanc Financial, Knoxville Museum of Art, Café Four, Jon Gustin, Knox County E-Government Services and Event Rentals by Rothchild.
For more information, please contact Coral Getino at 865-335-3358 or visit us at holafestival.org