June 20, 2012 Vol. 91 No. 25
Bring the family to the Fiesta in Florissant, June 23 and 24 at the Knights of Columbus grounds.
Fiesta! By Shelly A. Schneider
IN this Issue
Hispanic Festival, Inc. of Greater St. Louis will present “Fiesta in Florissant” at the Knights of Columbus Park located in Florissant near the corner of Lindbergh and Washington St. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, June 23, and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday, June 24. The colorful and festive Welcome Ceremony will begin at 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 23 with opening remarks from Florissant Mayor Thomas Schneider. Haniny Hillberg, chairman of the festival, said the 2012 Fiesta in Florissant is dedicated to Florissant Police Officer Michael Vernon, recently injured in the line of duty. “It’s our duty to express our appreciation for him and for the community,” she said. “We talked to his wife, and we are praying for him to get well.” The two-day celebration will feature non-stop entertainment with live Latino Bands and folkloric dancers from various countries, including Venezuela and Mexico. Other attractions include folk arts and crafts, Los Niños Kids Corner with piñatas and Dora the Explorer, Exotic Petting Zoo with pony rides, Inflatable Rides and information booths from several cultural organizations to acquaint the public with their programs and services. The funds raised are used to fund scholarships distributed to college-bound students and underprivileged children. Hillberg said the Fiesta in Florissant has been a part of the North County landscape for the past seven years. “One of the fair’s purposes is to celebrate the common heritage of Hispanic nations particularly because of the rise of the Hispanic population in North County,” she said. “A lot of the committee members are residents of Florissant, and we thought, ‘Why not have something at home?’ The festival has been well received and we enjoy it. It also brings people to Florissant from all around the area.” The Hispanic Festival, Inc. of Greater Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4 Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Photo courtesy of www.hispanicfestivalstl.org
St. Louis has taught Hillberg that the Hispanic culture is varied. Spanish words have different meanings depending on a person’s heritage. “For instance, ‘huahua’ (pronounced wa-wa) in Bolivia is a child, and in Puerto Rico it’s a bus,” Hillberg said. Showcasing the differences within the Hispanic culture is one reason for the festival. People from Argentina, the Caribbean, Colombia, Bolivia and Mexico will be on hand at the Fiesta in Florissant. “Even tacos are different within the Hispanic culture,” Hillberg said.“I learned that through mingling and going to different festivals. I’ve been educated and every day and I learn more.” Food is a big part of the Fiesta in Florissant, and Hillberg said only homemade food is allowed. “No restaurants or food trucks…only homemade,” she said. “You won’t find this food any other place.” Community is very important in the Hispanic culture, and Hillberg said this year the festival will honor someone who embodies that sense of community. “We tried to think of someone who does a lot but has never been recognized,” Learn & Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Pet Apdoption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Movie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2139 Bryan Valley Commercial Dr. • O’Fallon, MO 63366
she said. “This year we’re going to recognize Mrs. Guadalupe Pena. She’s a Mexican descendant who has done so much for the community. She struggles economically, but people call her when they know of someone in need. She has that
person come to her house and she gives them food, even if she doesn’t have food for herself.” Admission and parking are free. For more information call 314.837.6100 or visit www.hispanicfestivalstl.com.
Movie Talk
See Movie page 9
“Rock of Ages” - Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Joe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Shelly Schneider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
P: 636-379-1775 • FX: 636-379-1632
Recipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 What’s Happening . . . . . . . . . 12-13 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-15
E-Mail: cnews@centurytel.net
www.mycnews.com