AUGUST 9 & 10, 2025
Genoa Park, Downtown Columbus | 11 am-8 pm daily

¡Festival Latino! is a free, family-friendly event celebrating family and community with two days of children’s activities, music, food, fashion, art, and dance from the heart of Latin America.

DJ Cale

DJ Cale, born in Honduras and raised in Queens, has been serving the Latino community in Columbus for over 20 years. He owns The Cave Bar & Lounge, a multicultural hub for music enthusiasts. Known for his empathy and passion for music, DJ Cale was named the first “Padrino” of The Hispanic Heritage Parade 2023 by the city of Columbus.

Schedule:11AM Saturday, August 9

Ale Almanza

Ale Almanza is originally from Santa Marta, Colombia and comes from a family of artists, where she was instilled with a love for the sounds of her land since she was a little girl. After living in Mexico she settled in Columbus, where she has become a benchmark of Latin music. This year she received the Musical Artist of the Year award at the Hispanic Business Awards. She is currently promoting her latest unreleased single, “Adivina Que” with accordionist Maireth Zambrano.

Schedule:1:15PM Saturday, August 9

Carlos Rubio – Salsa Lessons

Take a salsa dance lesson from “The Salsa King of Ohio.” Carlos Rubio is an instructor at the Salsamante Dance Academy and Ohio’s all-time winning-est salsa dancer.

Schedule:2PM Saturday, August 9

Chupeta de Ajo, Tributo al Rock en Español

Columbus-based Venezuelan singer, songwriter, and musician Víctor Zancudo is a longtime local performer with a variety of bands. His latest, Chupeta de Ajo, is a rock group covering Spanish-language rock songs by bands from Venezuela and beyond.

Schedule:2:45PM Saturday, August 9

Salsamante Dance Academy

Salsamante Dance Academy has been teaching Salsa, Bachata & Cha Cha Chá in the Columbus, Mid-Ohio area for 12 years now. Lead by Carlos Rubio – Salsa King of Ohio. The high energy & rhythm that Salsamante brings will always make the Festival Latino more memorable.

Schedule:3PM Saturday, August 9

Daniela Darcourt

Born in Lima, Peru, Daniela Darcourt is one of the most promising South American artists. With a career that began at age 8 as part of various musical projects, the singer has been developing a solo career in salsa since 2018, the year she released her album Esa Soy Yo, which includes 14 songs recorded in the Dominican Republic under the tutelage of producer Master Chris. The album also featured tracks “Adiós Amor” and “Señor Mentira,” which currently has over 53 million views on YouTube. 

During this time, Daniela Darcourt has been nominated for Breakthrough Artist and Best Southern Artist at the fourth edition of the HTV Heat Awards, in addition to being the number 1 artist on the CHART HOT 100 IN PERU, for two years and four consecutive singles. 

Daniela Darcourt has collaborated with renowned local and international artists, including the Puerto Rican group N’Klabe. In 2020, maestro Tito Nieves invited the singer to be the artist for his song “Si Tú Te Atreves,” a track that is opening many doors for the young singer internationally.  

In November 2021, Daniela Darcourt performed two sold-out concerts at the Lima Exhibition Park Amphitheater called “El Reencuentro,” an event that resulted in two live albums, El Reencuentro Vol. 1 and El Reencuentro Vol. 2, as well as a prime-time television program open to all of Peru. 

Daniela Darcourt has been a coach on La Voz Perú in all three versions during 2021, where she was the youngest coach in the world of the TV format.  

Daniela’s most recent album, Empezando Otra Vez, was released in 2022 featuring the single “No Me Lo Creo” with Tito Nieves. 

Schedule:4:15PM Saturday, August 9

El Corazon de Mexico Ballet Folklorico

Toledo-based dance company El Corazon de Mexico Ballet Folklorico (The Heart of Mexico) will demonstrate the beauty and charm of traditional Mexican dances.

Schedule:5PM Saturday, August 9

Los Rabanes

Los Rabanes is one of the most emblematic fusion rock bands in Latin America. Their musical career has positioned them as a leading avant-garde fusion band in the Latin music industry. They have earned a Latin Grammy Award (2007), toured worldwide, received international acclaim, and recorded with leading producers such as Emilio Estefan and Ruben Blades. Members: Emilio Regueira (guitar and vocals), Christian “Pipón” Torres (bass), Javier Saavedra, and Randy Cuevas (keyboards). 

Schedule:6:30PM Saturday, August 9

DJ Cale

DJ Cale, born in Honduras and raised in Queens, has been serving the Latino community in Columbus for over 20 years. He owns The Cave Bar & Lounge, a multicultural hub for music enthusiasts. Known for his empathy and passion for music, DJ Cale was named the first “Padrino” of The Hispanic Heritage Parade 2023 by the city of Columbus.

Schedule:11AM Sunday, August 10

El Corazon de Mexico Ballet Folklorico

Toledo-based dance company El Corazon de Mexico Ballet Folklorico (The Heart of Mexico) will demonstrate the beauty and charm of traditional Mexican dances.

Schedule:1PM Sunday, August 10

Golpe de Estado

Golpe de Estado is a young and modern band that excels in the subgenre of “tumbado,” a vibrant offshoot of the broad Mexican regional genre. Since their formation, Golpe de Estado has been dedicated to creating music that resonates with audiences, blending traditional regional Mexican sounds with contemporary influences. They recently released their debut single, “Hipnotizado,” which is available on all digital platforms and has been met with enthusiastic acclaim.

Schedule:1:15PM Sunday, August 10

Carlos Rubio – Salsa Lessons

Take a salsa dance lesson from “The Salsa King of Ohio.” Carlos Rubio is an instructor at the Salsamante Dance Academy and Ohio’s all-time winning-est salsa dancer.

Schedule:2PM Sunday, August 10

Daymé Arocena

Born in Havana in 1992, Arocena grew up immersed in Afro-Cuban folk, but also listening to cassette tapes of Sade Adu, her father’s favorite singer. After studying at the prestigious Amadeo Roldán conservatory, she became co-founder and band member of the Cuban-Canadian jazz collective “Maqueque” in 2014. With the collective, she launched several international tours and earned a GRAMMY nomination. Both her lead performances and complex vocal arrangements display extraordinary technical knowledge. Relying on instinct and intuition is how Arocena has managed her career since she burst on the international scene with Nueva Era, her prodigious debut album, in 2015. Now, she has fully reinvented her sound with Alkemi, a revolutionary and transformative fusion of neo soul singing, Afro-Caribbean beats, and slick new millennium pop.

Schedule:2:45PM Sunday, August 10

Salsamante Dance Academy

Salsamante Dance Academy has been teaching Salsa, Bachata & Cha Cha Chá in the Columbus, Mid-Ohio area for 12 years now. Lead by Carlos Rubio – Salsa King of Ohio. The high energy & rhythm that Salsamante brings will always make the Festival Latino more memorable.

Schedule:3PM Sunday, August 10

El Corazon de Mexico Ballet Folklorico

Toledo-based dance company El Corazon de Mexico Ballet Folklorico (The Heart of Mexico) will demonstrate the beauty and charm of traditional Mexican dances.

Schedule:4PM Sunday, August 10

Pirulo y La Tribu

Pirulo y La Tribu was formed in 2009 by founder Francisco ‘Pirulo’ Rosado Rosario, as an integration of classic style and modern times, combining salsa, Latin soul, jazz, hip-hop, urban, Afro-Latin, and world fusion music. The first of his projects to record was Calle Linda in the middle of 2013. Its single, “Loco Pero Feliz,” hit the Billboard Latin Songs charts in 2014 and in 2015 won the SESAC Awards for #1 Tropical Airplay SESAC Latina. In 2015, Calle Linda Golden Edition was released and nominated for a 2016 Latin Billboard Award as Tropical Album Artist/Group of the Year. Also in 2016, Pirulo y La Tribu became a 2016 Latin American Music Awards winner as New Favorite Tropical Artist and in 2018, again nominated for a Latin Billboard Award as Tropical Artist/Group of the Year. A follow-up, Calle Linda 2, was released in the early Summer of 2017. It entered Top Latin Albums within a week, and within three, reached the Top 10. Its single, “De Mi Que Hablen,” also entered the Tropical Songs charts. Featured artists participating in Calle Linda 2 are Olga Tañón on “Miro Pal Cielo,” and Ozuna with “Yo Soy Yo.” Released in 2021, Calle Linda 3: El Disco Nuevo, includes the singles “El Tumbaíto,“ “Pa’ Los Envidiosos,“ and “Dios,” and features guest artists Gilberto Santa Rosa on “No es Cantar Por Cantar” and Tito El Bambino on “No Le Temo a La Vida.” His latest production, Calle Linda 4: Salsa y Saoco, was released in 2022 providing new sounds and great music to enjoy. 

Schedule:4:15PM Sunday, August 10

Kinito Méndez

Dominican merengue star Kinito Méndez got involved in popular music at the age of nine while participating in his first band Pequeños del Ritmo. He went on to form a string of successful groups throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s, including Cocoband, Rikarena, and Rokabanda. Méndez started his solo career in 1995, recording El Hombre Merengue, selling over 1.5 million copies with his song “Cachamba” topping the most important Latin charts. His combination of infectious, danceable merengue beats and humorous, witty lyrics made him an instant success. He continued recording for decades, notably paying tribute to his mentor Johnny Ventura with 1998’s A Caballo. 

Schedule:6:30PM Sunday, August 10

Get exclusive festival info

FOLLOW THE FESTIVAL

#FestivalLatinoCbus

@FESTIVALLATINOCBUS
El primer día de agosto significa que el Festival Latino 2025 es este mes. ¡Disfruta de actuaciones en vivo, actividades para niños y mucho más! ¿Qué es lo que más te emociona? Comenta abajo. Crédito de la foto: Randall L. Schieber. // The first day of August means that Festival Latino 2025 is this month! Enjoy live performances, children's activities, and so much more! What are you most excited about? Comment below. Photo Credit: Randall L. Schieber. #FestivalLatinoCbus #ColumbusOhio #GenoaPark

El primer día de agosto significa que el Festival Latino 2025 es este mes. ¡Disfruta de actuaciones en vivo, actividades para niños y mucho más! ¿Qué es lo que más te emociona? Comenta abajo.

Crédito de la foto: Randall L. Schieber.

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The first day of August means that Festival Latino 2025 is this month! Enjoy live performances, children's activities, and so much more! What are you most excited about? Comment below.

Photo Credit: Randall L. Schieber.

#FestivalLatinoCbus #ColumbusOhio #GenoaPark

Estamos listos para bailar: ¡Kinito Méndez cerrará el Festival Latino 2025 con un toque de Merengue. ¡Kinito estará en la tarima Fiesta el domingo 10 de agosto a las 6:30 p.m.!

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We’re ready to dance: Kinito Méndez will close Festival Latino 2025 with his merengue flair! Kinito will hit the Fiesta Stage on Sunday, August 10, at 6:30 pm!

#FestivalLatinoCbus #ColumbusOhio #GenoaPark

No olvides tus zapatos de baile: ¡tendremos clases de salsa el sábado y el domingo con Carlos Rubio. ¡El “Rey de la Salsa de Ohio”! // Don’t forget your dancing shoes: We have salsa lessons on Saturday & Sunday by Carlos Rubio, the “Salsa King of Ohio!” #FestivalLatinoCbus #ColumbusOhio #GenoaPark

No olvides tus zapatos de baile: ¡tendremos clases de salsa el sábado y el domingo con Carlos Rubio. ¡El “Rey de la Salsa de Ohio”!

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Don’t forget your dancing shoes: We have salsa lessons on Saturday & Sunday by Carlos Rubio, the “Salsa King of Ohio!”

#FestivalLatinoCbus #ColumbusOhio #GenoaPark

⭐ El patrocinador del área infantil de este año es la Fundación AEP. ¡Gracias a la Fundación AEP por apoyar este espacio divertido para los niños!

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⭐ This year's children's area sponsor is AEP Foundation! Thank you to AEP Foundation for supporting this fun space for kids!

📸 Crédito de la foto/Photo credit: Randall L. Schieber

#FestivalLatinoCbus #ColumbusOhio #GenoaPark

!Sáluda a Francisco ‘Pirulo’ Rosado Rosario antes de su llegada al Festival Latino! Dirígete al escenario Fiesta el domingo 10 de agosto a las 4:15 p.m. para el ver el grupo completo de Pirulo y La Tribu.

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Say hello to Francisco ‘Pirulo’ Rosado Rosario ahead of his arrival at Festival Latino! Head to the Fiesta Stage on Sunday, August 10, at 4:15 pm to watch the full set of Pirulo y La Tribu.

#FestivalLatinoCbus #ColumbusOhio #GenoaPark

🗣️ ¡Estamos buscando intérpretes para asistir en el Festival Latino de este año! ➡️ Necesitamos voluntarios para apoyar al personal de CAPA durante todo el fin de semana. Se espera que los turnos de voluntariado sean de aproximadamente 3 horas. Se proporcionará estacionamiento y camisetas. // 🗣️ We’re looking for interpreters to assist at this year’s Festival Latino! ➡️ We will need volunteers to support CAPA staff throughout the weekend. Volunteer shifts are expected to be approximately 3 hours. Parking and T-shirts are provided. #FestivalLatinoCbus #GenoaPark #ColumbusOhio

🗣️ ¡Estamos buscando intérpretes para asistir en el Festival Latino de este año!

➡️ Necesitamos voluntarios para apoyar al personal de CAPA durante todo el fin de semana. Se espera que los turnos de voluntariado sean de aproximadamente 3 horas. Se proporcionará estacionamiento y camisetas.

//

🗣️ We’re looking for interpreters to assist at this year’s Festival Latino!

➡️ We will need volunteers to support CAPA staff throughout the weekend. Volunteer shifts are expected to be approximately 3 hours. Parking and T-shirts are provided.

#FestivalLatinoCbus #GenoaPark #ColumbusOhio

¡Festival Latino! IS PRODUCED BY