La Fiesta del Pueblo is a two-day event celebrating Latino culture that welcomes thousands of people, both Latino and non-Latino, from all corners of the state.
Officials have not yet announced the turnout, but they expect it was more than last year's crowd of 46,000.
The festival included Latino food, crafts, dancing, music and a soccer tournament. Runners took part in "La Familias del Pueblo" on Saturday morning -- a 10-kilometer road race through Carrboro.
"It's good exposure to other cultures for people who wouldn't otherwise get it," said Brad McMillen, who brought his wife, Janey, and son Patrick to La Fiesta del Pueblo.
Pam Reyes said it is important to have events like La Fiesta del Pueblo to increase tolerance among people of different backgrounds. "Everyone should know that they need to be treated the same regardless of race or religion, and this is a good place to do that."
Katie Pomerans, one of the founding members of El Pueblo Inc., a nonprofit advocacy organization for Latino issues, said the event has grown in scope and size since it started nine years ago.
"Every year it gets a little bigger," she said. "The community is growing, and people know more about the event so they return."
One goal of La Fiesta del Pueblo was to encourage Latinos to register to vote in upcoming elections. There are 2,391 Latino N.C. citizens registered to vote, out of about a half million in the state.
"We're doing a massive voter registration drive this month because of the amount of Latinos in the state," said Kathy Weil, special projects coordinator for the N.C. State Board of Elections. "We're trying to be more accessible to them."
The event also welcomed a number of state politicians to La Fiesta del Pueblo, some of whom are seeking election this year.
Sen. Ellie Kinnaird, D-Orange, pledged that she would work for Latinos and also take Spanish lessons. "It's an Orange County tradition, and we're very proud of it," she said. "It's very important because we have so many Latino residents -- they contribute to our economy and to our culture."
Other politicians in attendance included N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper and Rep. David Price, D-N.C.
Pomerans said La Fiesta del Pueblo is not only a party -- it also offers services to Latinos. "It's a lot of fun, but at the same time we're offering a lot of services to the community -- health, public safety, housing and economic development," she said.
La Fiesta del Pueblo attendee Mila Galvanez said she attended the event for the health services and to enjoy all the different cultures. "They checked (my daughter) at the dentist," she said. "Here you can enjoy different cultures. ... You can enjoy the food, see different friends and people from different countries."
Health and human services organizations such as the Orange County Rape Crisis Center, the Mental Health Association of North Carolina and Carolina Donor Services set up booths at the festival to offer information and advice to patrons.
People from many walks of life attend La Fiesta del Pueblo, Pomerans said. She said she is pleased with the turnout, and especially with the number of non-Latinos who attend the festival. "I think the biggest triumph of this event is that it's a Latino event that's turned into a North Carolina event."
The City Editor can be reached at citydesk@unc.edu.
