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HoLa Festival was a memorable event this year. Gay Street (from Summit to the Viaduct) got to dress up with color and balloons for a day. Visitors enjoyed glorious weather, elaborate costumes, vibrant country exhibits, wonderful food, and superb performances — both from the stage and along the expanded festival grounds. The joy and festive feeling filled the air!!
The festival grew in numbers this year. There were 90 booths, 120 Parade of Nations participants, and 250 volunteers from several local high schools. Every country in the Latino world was represented in some way, either by a cultural exhibit, craft or food concession, or participation in the Parade.
Admiral Farragut and the Farragut HS Marching Band opened the Parade of Nations. How exciting! Different groups in fabulous costumes marched and danced proudly, and the crowd cheered at the announcement that the Chilean miners were rescued.
An estimated audience of 15,000 to 20,000 packed Gay Street from well before the festival was scheduled to start at 11am until after 8pm. Visitors came from near Memphis, Chattanooga, Johnson City, and even neighboring states. From the Art at the Emporium Center to the Hispanic Heritage Month Essay Contest winners, plus music, dance, food and exhibits, there was culture and fun for everyone!
The festival was fun for the entire family. Children especially enjoyed collecting flag stickers for their Passport or Traveling Guide, a wood workshop by Home Depot, carnival activities, a Comcast-sponsored visit from Nickelodeon’s Diego, crafts, the Zoo, a circus performance, and even train rides!
The festival also featured new sections including a “Learn to dance –Flamenco, Tango and Salsa— Station,” the beautiful Frutos Latinos art exhibit at the Emporium Center, and storytelling! Oralia Lamas, a talented storyteller from Mexico enchanted her listeners and prompted the audience to tell family stories to their children.
Mexican folk dances (“bailables mexicanos”) and the Caribbean sound of Orquesta MaCuba closed the festival. Earlier in the day we enjoyed Zumba and other dance demonstrations, as well as Zunimar and Heberest, two local Latino bands. Street performances by the “Bomba y Plena” Puerto Rican group, Mariachi music, and the spectacular Danza Azteca Guadalupana trotted down Gay Street and did 3 encore performances, which served a big slice of culture to our East Tennessee region.
Many thanks to our generous sponsors: Bush Brothers & Company, The University of Tennessee, US Cellular, The Tennessee Arts Commission, The City of Knoxville, Comcast, Regal Cinemas, TVA, Scripps Networks, AmeriChoice, Cherokee Distributing, Target, East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, Pepsi Co., International Flair, The Knoxville News Sentinel, WKXZ 93.5, Journal Broadcasting Group, WBIR, Mercy Health Partners, Central Business Improvement District, Knoxville Association of Realtors, Clayton Foundation, MiBanco, Perceptics, Western Heights Dental, Dixie Home Crafters, UT-Battelle, Home Depot, Sound Systems, Mundo Hispano, MiVida Today, and HoLa Tennessee. And last but not least, to our hard working Festival Committee, you are great!!
Graphic reporting was the medium of choice for bloggers and media coverage of this year’s HoLa Fest. Visit us on Facebook or here, at Hola Beat, and enjoy the images that attest to the fun, celebration and “Unity in the Community” that Knoxville experienced on October 9th.
HoLa Fest 2010 brought us one step closer to being the best outdoor festival in town! 
Viva Knoxville!
Coral Getino
Watch a video by Milton Pineda (click on image)
Graphic reports by Knox News Sentinel and Metro Pulse
Watch a short video
Read about the wonderful food of the HoLa Festival
Watch beautiful pictures of the Parade of Nations
And now, a valid question: Why aren’t there more Hispanics working at the HoLa Festival?
