Lansing — The empty grounds of Cristo Rey Catholic Church gave little clue of the vibrant dancing and steaming food that will fill the air this weekend.
Cristo Rey's Fiesta 2006 — a celebration of Latino cultures and faith featuring authentic food, music and games from a variety of countries, including Mexico, Puerto Rico and Guatemala — will begin at 4 p.m. today.
"As you walk through the tent, you get a taste of each culture," festival volunteer Ligia Romero said. "We're trying to bring a little bit of everything together in a span of two and a half days."
Romero, who is in charge of purchasing the festival's food and equipment, said the authenticity of the food is a huge draw for the event. There will be tacos, tostadas and gorditas, along with jimaca, a fruit dish and menudo, a traditional Mexican soup known as "the breakfast of champions," she said.
Romero said the atmosphere and spirit of the community alone is a reason to attend.
"The warmth of the festival is what gets people, and we're very proud of that," she said.
The festival draws anywhere from 18,000 to 25,000 people from Michigan and surrounding areas, a number that has grown along with the Latino population in the Lansing area, Romero said. This year, organizers want to have a more family-friendly environment, adding a children's tent for the first time, Romero said.
Event director Guillermo López said his favorite part of the event is watching people of different cultures enjoying themselves together.
"This is not just a festival — it's also a celebration of faith and culture," he said, adding that the 11 a.m. Sunday Mass "brings that together."
Josephina Estrada, who has been volunteering since the church began hosting the annual festival, said she also enjoys the way different nationalities come together as Latinos.
"We do it to enjoy life … for me it's very beautiful and important," Estrada said.
Ricardo Rendon, who has been a member of the parish for at least 35 years, said the event has attracted more than just the Latino community.
"As long as I can remember, it's always been an open festival," Rendon said. "Some of it is curiosity, but the dancing (also) draws a lot different people."
Angelita Costillo, 24, will perform traditional Mexican dances with El Grupo Fiesta, at 1:40 p.m. Saturday.
Costillo, who is also one of El Grupo Fiesta's two instructors, said the festival is the group's biggest and most anticipated performance.
"It's one of the events the girls put on their calendars months and months ahead of time, and practice, practice, practice," she said.
The group's participants range in age from 2 years old to women in their 20s. Costillo herself has been a member since she was 3 years old.
"Every year, we know there are people in the crowd who have been watching us since we were little, and that's a good feeling," she said.
