SARASOTA | Beautiful weather accompanied a day filled with food, fun, entertainment and lots of smiling faces for the 21st annual Hispanic Festival at St. Jude Parish in Sarasota.
An estimated 8,000 people gathered at St. Jude for this event Nov. 8, 2025, a celebration of both the individual nations and the unified culture of a diverse Parish. This annual Festival is the oldest one in Sarasota County to feature authentic Latino food, music and culture. The day includes musical performances and ethnic dancers as well as food from many nations.
Throughout the Parish grounds were tents full of a wide variety of foods that left many mouths watering. People attend the event annually from as far away as Naples and Clearwater. It has become a much anticipated and beloved event for the Parish.
The Hispanic Festival opened with prayer, followed by a “Parade of Flags” as each country represented at the festival was announced, and the respective flags brought forth cheers.
As a bilingual Parish, the members of both the English and the Spanish speaking congregation at St. Jude participated and volunteered to staff the booths.
Father Jiobani Batista, Pastor at St. Jude, was pleased by the turnout and said it is a source of pride for the faithful to honor the tradition of the homeland of their families. “People are proud of where they come from. Many nations were represented but we are all one community.”
The celebration of more than a dozen countries lasted from noon until sunset. Throughout the day, there were performances, offering folk and modern music, and dance. Many proudly wore clothing representing their country of origin.
Liliana Hernandez, 10, loved the music and the food. “Everyone is having so much fun. The food is also really great.” Her family is from Nicaragua and so she ate traditional items from that food tent. It was the deserts from Brazil that caught her fancy. She had samples of brigadeiro (chocolate truffle), bolo (a cake), and acai (a dish made with frozen and mashed fruit and cream).
Whether it was the food, the music, the dancing, or the joy of being around so many happy people, the Hispanic Festival was a success by any measure.
The proceeds of the Hispanic Festival go to support the various outreach efforts of St. Jude Parish, including a food pantry and other programs which help families in need throughout the year, as well as supporting the construction of a new Parish church.
