COCC’s Latinx Fiesta a Feast for the Senses | The Source Weekly

With dancing, crafts, piñata-breaking and a banquet-style meal that showcases the flavors of Brazil, Cuba, Perú, Colombia and other Latin American countries, Central Oregon Community College’s (COCC) Latinx Fiesta Celebración will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 19, at the Coats Campus Center on the college’s Bend campus.

This is a family-friendly event, free and open to the public, organized by the COCC Latinx Student program and Latinx Club, and with partnership from the High Desert Museum and the Deschutes Public Library.

Attendees are encouraged to park in COCC’s Barber Library parking lot. Beginning with story time — read in both English and Spanish — along with ceramic drink coaster painting, the Mexican board game loteria, piñata-breaking and other activities from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., the event features a complete lunch of Latin American flavors from 12:30-2 p.m., with dessert provided by students of COCC’s Cascade Culinary Institute, and then music and dancing from 2-4 p.m.

Lewis & Clark College’s Freddy Vilches, Ph.D., an associate professor of Hispanic studies and a talented multi-instrumentalist musician, will provide live Latin American music, accompanied by student musicians, to offer an opportunity for dancing.