Latincouver branches into the city's mainstream

By Kimiya Shokoohi
[contributor]

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For a long time, the closest you could come to celebrating Latin culture in Vancouver was going to the local 7-11 and buying a taquito.

But a deep-fried, frozen and reheated treat can only take you so far.

Today, Vancouver has expanded beyond its minimal options, widening its pallet of multi-culti.

Read: Latincouver – less deep-fried, equally zesty.

Latincouver, an organizer and online directory for all events Hispanic, has become one the city’s rapidly growing focal points for Latin-Canadian communities and their culture.

Its Carnaval del Sol festival on June 26 proved Vancouver’s moderately meek Hispanic community is anything but.

“We try to blend in, and I love that, but we also like to have a voice,” said Latincouver founder Paola Murillo.

After spending 15 years traveling the world, Murrilo settled in Vancouver and quickly realized the need for a city-wide Latin platform.

“We are here to be a part of Vancouver and make a stand, make positive changes and show our passion — and I think it’s happening.”

Four blocks of the downtown core fill-up. Thousands of Vancouverites fill-in.

The third annual festival, held years prior in parks, branched-out on Granville between Smithe and Dunsmuir, and into the Vancouver mainstream for the first time this year.

And Vancouver ate it up.

Street soccer tournaments. Art appreciation initiatives. Open-air hispanic food court marketplace. Salsa street dancing. Special performances. Talks about sustainability. Even some sun.

Talk about touching base at all fours.

“We started out in a park, in small places, and now we’re here and the city believes in us,” Murillo said. “We got lucky – even with the sun.”

The sun’s decision to come out for its own Carnival de ‘Sol’ festival brought with it more Vancouverites than a successful hockey team brings downtown frat-boys.

Event organizers estimated about 30 thousand people for the day. They saw double.

The funding for the event, Murillo said, has been a collective and collected effort on the part of community and small business.

“We didn’t have that much money to be honest, it has been limited, but you know,” Murillo said, “it’s just made of love.”

For more information on upcoming events, visit Latincouver