Families celebrate culture
Carrboro fiesta retains turnout
By: Anasa Hicks, Staff Writer
Issue date: 9/17/07 Section: City
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On the edge of the Commons, situated next to Carrboro Town Hall, children made tissue-paper flowers, climbed the small jungle gym, played and had their faces painted.
Hundreds of residents turned out Sunday for the Fiesta de la Familia in Carrboro to eat food and enjoy music.
Fears of immigration raids had affected turnout at a similar event last weekend but did not appear to impact Sunday's fiesta, as a large group filled the grassy area surrounded by booths.
"Honestly, we don't know what to expect," El Centro Latino Executive Director Ben Balderas said Friday before the fiesta.
"We'll have a good time no matter what."
This year 18,000 fewer people attended La Fiesta del Pueblo at the N.C. state fairgrounds in Raleigh than last year.
El Pueblo, a statewide advocacy group, organized last week's La Fiesta del Pueblo.
Advocacy Director Marisol Jiménez-McGee said fewer people attended because of rumors that immigration officials would be there to arrest illegal aliens. She said the rumors were untrue.
"We have seen several cases in the past month where literally dozens of people have been taken in the middle of the night from their homes," Jiménez-McGee said.
Balderas said he wasn't sure the same thing would happen in Orange County.
"Orange County is the only county that has gone on record saying their officers will not act as immigration agents," he said.
Balderas said he hadn't heard any rumors of immigration agents at the Fiesta de la Familia.
And political issues appeared to be far from everyone's minds at the Fiesta de la Familia.
Mexican jewelry and accessories, Brazilian paintings and inexpensive clothing were available for purchase.
Across from the food and goods were tables of groups and companies including Orange County Human Rights and Relations, BlueCross and BlueShield, the University's Student Health Action Coalition and the Orange County Rape Crisis Center.
El Centro, which organized the Fiesta de la Familia, is a nonprofit organization in Carrboro dedicated to serving the town's Hispanic citizens. The group holds weekly classes to help Hispanics in Carrboro.
Carrboro resident Kevin Anderson came to the Fiesta de la Familia with his children.
"My son goes to a Spanish immersion preschool (Mi Escuelita), so we thought he might enjoy some of the Spanish culture," Anderson said.
Keila Armas, a Chapel Hill resident and Guatemala native, said she came because her friend heard about it on a television commercial.
The event started to look like a real fiesta by about 3 p.m.
Guadalupe Olea, a guitarist from Mexico, performed several songs and El Sabor a Mexico, a traditional Mexican dance group, danced in ruffled skirts and tops on the grass.
"Everyone just seems to be enjoying themselves," Balderas said.
Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
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