By Kezia Royer-Burkett, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
This weekend, Burlington’s Nelson Park transformed into a vibrant celebration of Latin American culture with the inaugural Burlington Latino Festival. Organized by local resident and Oakville business owner David Mariño, the two-day event stands as the largest Latino festival ever held in Burlington, drawing hundreds of attendees, food vendors, artisans, and performers from across the Greater Toronto Area.
When asked about the inspiration behind the festival, Mariño shared, “We wanted to grow our community and share the flavours and experiences we have here in Canada. It’s about embracing and celebrating our Latin heritage.”
As a Burlington resident, he noticed the city’s growing Latin American population and felt it was the perfect place to host a festival that would unite the local Latin community and introduce Burlington residents to its rich cultural traditions.
Though the festival is rooted in Latin American culture, it was designed to be an inclusive, multicultural event.
“We have 30 different food vendors and 35 artisans, not just from Latin America,” Mariño explained. “This event is open to everyone, and we’re grateful to have such diverse participation.”
The festival featured an exciting lineup of performances by Canadian-Latin artists, some of whom are Burlington locals, while others travelled from across the GTA and even internationally.
“We have artists with Canadian roots, and we also brought in an international artist from Mexico for the event,” said Mariño. The timing of the event coincided with Mexican and Central American Independence Day, adding an extra layer of significance for attendees from those regions.
Organizing the largest two-day Latino festival in Burlington was no small feat. “It took nearly a year of hard work to bring everything together,” said Mariño. “But seeing the park full of people, food, and culture made it all worth it.”
The festival received crucial support from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, which provided funding to help make the event a reality. The City of Burlington also played a key role by providing permits, licenses, and additional assistance through the recreation, community, and culture department. “The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport and the City of Burlington have been fantastic,” Mariño shared. “They worked closely with us, almost like friends, to ensure the event could run smoothly.”
Given the overwhelming success of this year’s festival, the organizers are already looking ahead. “We absolutely want to do this again next year,” Mariño confirmed. “We want to be bigger, better, and even more successful.”
With the support of the Burlington community and local organizations, the Burlington Latino Festival is poised to become an annual celebration, showcasing the best of Latin American culture and uniting people from all walks of life.
