by James Coulter
Bonnet Springs Park in Lakeland welcomed its inagural Hispanic Heritage Festival on Saturday with “Bienvenido!”
The event proved to be muy caliente with several hundred attendees participating, many of whom were from the local Hispanic community to celebrate their culture and heritage.
Several dozen vendors were set upon the Allen & Company Family Lawn, outside of the Florida Children’s Museum, to showcase various arts and crafts based on Hispanic culture.
Meanwhile, several food trucks served authentic Mexican food, while various musical and dance performances were held on the main stage. All the while, families could sprawl out on the main lawn to relax with fun and games.
Many local organizations, especially affiliated with the local Hispanic community, participated in the event. These organizations included Polk State College, Hispanic and Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce, and the Viva Polk publication.
“The day has been better than we could have expected,” said Stephanie Bernal, Director of Events at Bonnet Springs Park. “We have a full lawn. Our members are wonderful today. All of our vendors are doing a great job. And we have a wonderful turnout with great talent.”
Since its inception last year, Bonnet Springs Park has helped facilitate local culture with various events such as this heritage festival. The park will be celebrating its first anniversary on Oct. 21 with a big all-day celebration.
“It has been a really great turnout,” said Stephanie. “We owe our success to the Hispanic and Latino community…Having everyone out here today has made it very special. So, we are very happy and we are looking forward to doing it again.”
Bonnet Springs Park will celebrate its birthday on Sat. Oct. 21 from 9 AM – 9 PM, with festivities concluding with a major firework spectacular.
The park is located at 400 Bonnet Springs Boulevard, Lakeland, FL 33815. For more information, visit their website at: https://bonnetspringspark.com/
