The aromas and sounds of Latin America will greet visitors July 24-27 at San Juan Bautista Catholic Church in Lancaster city during its 41st annual Hispanic Festival.
The free four-day festival will take place at the 425 S. Duke St. church from 6-9 p.m. July 24, 6-10 p.m. July 25, 6-11 p.m. July 26, and 4-11 p.m. July 27. Organizers are adding credit and debit card options this year to make it easier for guests to purchase food and raffle tickets for cash prizes totaling $15,000.
The festival features live music, arts and crafts, and food from Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Mexico, and other Latin American countries. Tickets that can be redeemed for food at various kiosks will be available for purchase at the door, with food item prices starting at $2.
Organizer Glenda Torres said bingo was added to this year’s festival with prizes that include Hershey Park and Lancaster Stormers tickets, as well as gift cards to local grocery stores and restaurants.
“A lot of the prizes are donated so we don’t have major expenses,” said Torres, who was a volunteer at last year’s festival.
The festival is the church’s biggest fundraising event, traditionally netting $50,000 to $70,000 to help fund its programs and services to the community.
“The festival fills a gap as far as fundraising,” San Juan Bautista pastor the Rev. Luis Rodriguez said. “It is always our nuts and bolts, and we need it to be as successful as possible.”
Organizers hope to raise $70,000 this year.
“If the weather cooperates, more people will come out to this event, and we will be able to get that amount or get close to it,” Torres said. “The biggest contributor will be the raffle.”
Torres said while about 20 volunteers are working together to bring this year’s event to the local community, more volunteers are welcomed.
People interested in helping can contact the church at 717-392-4118 or p127sanjuan@hbgdiocese.org, or Torres at 717-341-7934.
“This is our 41st year and it really is a work of love for so many of our people. We’ll be happy to see the parking lot be filled with people who support us because it goes back to the community,” Rodriguez said. “We hope people will see their participation as a heartbeat to the work we do here.”
