Hispanic League’s 34th annual festival will feature more than 80 vendors and exhibitors, two stages of entertainment and community services.
WS Chronicle | Staff Report
Food vendors and artisans will join musicians and dancers in downtown Winston-Salem on Saturday for Hispanic League’s 34th annual Fiesta Festival. Organizers expect more than 80 vendors and exhibitors.
The free festival begins at 11 a.m. Sept. 19, with activities near the Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts and Hanesbrands Theatre on North Spruce Street.
Diane Massas, Hispanic League’s executive director, described Fiesta in a Sept. 1 announcement as “an opportunity for our entire community to come together, learn from one another, support local businesses.”
The celebration returns as Winston-Salem’s Hispanic and Latino population grows. Hispanic and Latino residents make up 18.2% of the city’s population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s QuickFacts profile.
Across the broader Winston-Salem metropolitan area, the Hispanic population increased about 3.9%, or nearly 3,700 residents, during the year ending July 1, 2025. WUNC reported the figures in June, citing Census estimates.
Food vendors and entrepreneurs
Fiesta includes a section for artisans and small businesses sponsored by The Winston-Salem Foundation. Food vendors listed for Saturday include Tacos Mama Chava, Rincón Salvadoreño, Lelo’s Cuban Cafe and The Corner Venezuelan.
Lelo’s is a family-owned food truck serving Winston-Salem and surrounding counties. Jose Reyno is the owner and cook, while his wife, Michele, handles cooking, administration and event coordination, according to the company’s website.
Its regular menu includes Cuban sandwiches, roast pork, empanadas, black beans and sweet plantains. The business also takes bookings for events throughout the area.
Hispanic League’s work with entrepreneurs continues throughout the year through its Pequeñas y Medianas Empresas program, known as PyMEs, which serves small and medium-sized businesses in the Hispanic and Latino community.
The program’s March 28 business summit agenda included alternatives to traditional financing and preparation for government contracts. Representatives of the Carolina Small Business Development Fund and Prospera USA were scheduled to lead those sessions, addressing how owners can obtain financing and compete for contract work. The summit was advertised as free, with programming in Spanish.
Music, dance and community services
Banda Zeta will headline Saturday’s entertainment. The technobanda group from Nayarit, Mexico, became widely known for its song “La Niña Fresa,” according to Hispanic League’s announcement.
The outdoor lineup also includes Los Acoustic Guys performing rock in Spanish, Oscar Oviedo playing salsa, merengue and cumbia, and Ballet Folklórico Mexican Tradition of Julio Ruiz.
Inside the Milton Rhodes Center, the Encanto Stage will feature Speas Global Elementary, Smith Farm Elementary, Hispanic League’s children’s ballet class and Music Carolina’s “Pedrito y El Lobo.”
A Health & Community Zone is sponsored by Novant Health. Organizers advertise health screenings, educational outreach and information from local service providers, along with children’s activities and cultural crafts.
Street closures begin Friday
Drivers should expect closures beginning at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18, and continuing until 10 p.m. Saturday. The city’s notice identifies Holly Avenue and Spruce and Poplar streets between Fourth and Second streets as affected.
Fiesta will take place rain or shine. The Arts Council building will offer an indoor place to cool off and access public restrooms.
A digital festival map is available on Hispanic League’s Fiesta webpage. For additional information, call 336-560-1881.