TOLEDO, Ohio — After being forced to cancel several events because of COVID-19, Toledo's Latino Resource Center is ready to make a comeback.
This weekend, Adelante, is inviting you to celebrate the Latino culture, food, and music.
The Latino Resource Center on Broadway Street provides programming and other services to many Toledoans.
And this Saturday it's making an effort to recover at Promenade Park downtow with a festival from 3-11 p.m.
"We're hosting our second annual Hispanic Heritage Month celebration, in conjunction with our Cesar Chavez Humanitarian Awards presentation. So we are honoring two individuals in the community who've really gone above and beyond to serve," said Sabina Serratos, the executive director of Adelante Inc.
But the fundraiser is also to help Adelante supplement its current programming and add more. "Adelante" means "move forward."
"My main focus is connecting our Latino population to the mental health services which is very difficult for a lot of people to navigate that mental health system," said Anita Martinez Folger, a Behavioral Health Navigator at Adelante.
"I do an after-school program of prevention. I taught prevention. Alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs prevention for the kids and try social skills also," added Alfredo Canas, who runs some programming at Adelante Inc.
The organization wants you to come out Saturday to learn more about the culture and to help the organization achieve its mission.
"It's great that everybody can come together and be able to share the wonderful things that we have here in the United States. And that we're so fortunate to have and even here in Toledo, being able to have an agency like Adelante," said Martinez.
And while you're there, enjoy all the culture, food, and music, the Latino culture has to offer.
"(It) should be the day for the whole community who don't know yet about our culture. Is an amazing opportunity to come and taste our food and meet," Canas said.
Festival attendees can enjoy music and dancing from Grupo Vicio, Gabriel Burciaga & The Bad Boyz featuring Nicolina, La Corporacíon and El Corazon de Mexico. Food and merchandise vendors will be on site.
Vaccinations will be provided for those who want to get the COVID-19 shot.
The event runs from 3-11 p.m. tomorrow night.
Tickets are $10 and you can purchase tickets here at eventbrite.com or you can buy them at the entrance.