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Hispanic fest to spice up Vinoy Park on Saturday

The St. Petersburg event, with lots of music and food, is expected to draw thousands Saturday.

By WAVENEY ANN MOORE
Published July 20, 2005

ST. PETERSBURG - Organizers say St. Petersburg's waterfront and Mediterranean-style architecture are the ideal backdrop for what is being billed as the first Hispanic festival in the city.

Megaveraneo 2005 will be held from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday in Vinoy Park. It promises pulsating rhythms of salsa, merengue and reggaeton, described as the Spanish hip-hop. Bands will come from Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, New York and Miami.

Entry is $10.

A tent will be set up for those who want to play dominos. Vendors will sell rice and beans; pinchos, which are Spanish-style kabobs; bacalaitos, or cod fritters; and empanadas, which are meat and vegetable turnovers. There will also be arts and crafts.

Organizers say they want to offer something for everyone, Hispanic and non-Hispanic.

"What we intend to do with this festival is to unite the youngest and the oldest," said Mariangie Navarro, promotions director for Mega Communications, owner of two Hispanic radio stations in Tampa.

The celebration is also meant to draw together Hispanics from geographically diverse regions, including South and Central America, Mexico, Cuba and Puerto Rico.

The summer festival, expected to attract thousands, reflects the growth of the area's Hispanic population. According to the latest Census Bureau estimates, there are 41.3-million Hispanics in the United States, or one in every seven people. The agency also estimates that of the 2.5-million people in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater area, 12.11 percent are Hispanic. Of that, Mexicans make up 2.2 percent, Puerto Ricans, 3.9 percent, Cubans, 2.9 percent and other Hispanics, 3.1 percent.

Iris Gonzalez, president-elect of Tampa Hispanic Heritage Inc., a nonprofit organization whose aim is "to foster, promote and preserve" Hispanic heritage and culture in the region, said the five-county Tampa Bay area and surrounding counties are becoming increasingly popular with Hispanics.

"Right now, there are more than 420,000 Hispanics in the area, probably more," said Gonzalez, who is originally from Venezuela.

"A lot of people are moving from New York and Miami. Years ago it used to be just Cubans, and now you can see the different populations."

Tampa Hispanic Heritage is sponsoring the festival with Mega Communications and the city of St. Petersburg.

Despite her organization's name, Gonzalez said Tampa Hispanic Heritage is "trying to become the umbrella" group for Hispanics throughout the Tampa Bay area. It's one of the reasons the group is participating in Saturday's festivities, she said.

"We saw the opportunity to join forces with MegaCommunications to expand our horizons and promote the diversity of the Hispanic culture in St. Petersburg," Gonzalez said.

Navarro of Mega Communications said St. Petersburg offers the perfect ambience for the first-time gathering.

"We were looking for a venue that would represent the Hispanic culture. For example, the architecture is like Old San Juan. It has a special flavor," she said.

Organizers said they hope the festival will become an annual event in the city.

Times researcher Caryn Baird contributed to this article.

[Last modified July 20, 2005, 00:57:15]