The 12th Latin American Festival, hosted by Seoul’s Seongbuk-gu, was a vibrant celebration of culture and community, concluding successfully on Sunday, September 21.
As Seoul's longest-running Latin American cultural festival, the event is a testament to the fiery passion and energy of Central and South America. This year, the festival moved to a new location, the area around Seongbuk-gu Office's Baram Madang, with a new riverside recreational space along the Seongbukcheon stream. This change provided a more comfortable and spacious environment for all visitors.
Thirteen Central and South American embassies participated, showcasing a rich variety of their nations' traditional food, handicrafts, and cultural programs. The event also featured energetic Latin music and dance performances. A surprise visit from Argentine celebrity Alejandro Wiebe further ignited the crowd’s enthusiasm.
The festival featured 20 vendor and experience booths. Attendees were able to savor a taste of Latin America with exotic dishes like ceviche, empanadas, tacos, pupusas, pasteles, caipirinha, and pancho. Vendors also offered a wide array of authentic souvenirs, including traditional hats, musical instruments, accessories, and specialty products. Interactive booths allowed visitors to try traditional games and wear traditional Latin American attire for memorable photo opportunities.
The main stage came alive with lively dance performances, including Argentine tango, traditional Mexican dances, bachata, and salsa. Performances by Latin bands and an Ecuadorian singer brought the vibrant culture of a continent thousands of miles away to the heart of Seongbuk-gu.
The festival was officially opened by honorary mayor of Seongbuk-dong, Hans Alexander Knaider, who celebrated the event alongside ambassadors and other distinguished guests.
Seongbuk-gu Mayor Lee Seung-ro commented, “Started in 2011, the Latin American Festival has now reached its 12th edition and has firmly established itself as a representative venue for global cultural exchange in Seoul. By changing the location this year, we aimed to provide citizens with a wider and more pleasant space to experience Latin American culture.”
In a commitment to sustainability, the festival encouraged the use of multi-use containers for food purchases and offered a 500-won discount to attendees who brought their own tumblers or containers. Furthermore, a portion of the profits from the vendor booths will be donated to support low-income multicultural families, adding to the festival's meaningful impact.
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