One of the largest cultural events of the year comes to MiraCosta College October 15 for the annual Latino Book & Family Festival. The event will feature over 100 exhibitors organized in Villages focused on Authors, Children’s, Education, Food, and Health including more than 30 award-winning authors of works in all genres written by or about Latinos. The festival will include entertainment, children’s stage, bilingual activities, workshops, food, and book giveaways.
The festival will kick off Friday night with the 20th anniversary celebration and open-to-the-public screening of Chicana playwright Josefina López’ iconic film, “Real Women Have Curves” at 7 p.m. in MiraCosta’s Little Theater.
The festival will officially be opened at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, by US Congressman Mike Levin, MiraCosta College President and CEO Sunita Cooke, and San Diego County District 5 Supervisor Jim Desmond. Desmond and Levin will honor North County Latino elected officials. Later in the day, Festival keynote speakers will be playwright Josefina López and Rain of Gold author Victor Villaseñor. With ample free parking on campus, the festival is expected to attract more than 5,000 guests.
The purpose of the festival, a community program of the Fallbrook-based nonprofit Empowering Latino Futures, is to offer opportunities in the community, ideally reaching out to Latino families and youth. The festival highlights the importance of literacy and promotes awareness of college and community resources. More information is available at the festival website, www.LBFF.us.
Launched in Los Angeles in 1997 and co-produced by award-winning actor and community activist Edward James Olmos, the Latino Book & Family Festival has become a sought-after and popular event held in key Hispanic markets across the country and is aimed at promoting literacy, culture, and education in a welcoming environment for the entire family. The festivals are operated by the nonprofit Empowering Latino Futures and dedicated to advancing reading and literature as a way of improving lives throughout the Latino community.
The festival host is MiraCosta College and partners include AARP, MAAC, MyPoint Credit Union, North San Diego County Promise, RMC Automotive Specialties, Route 78 Rotary, San Diego Council on Literacy, SDG&E, Vista Community Clinic, and Watkins Wellness. Festival media partners include KSDY-TV San Diego 50, San Diego County Library, as well as Cities of Oceanside and Carlsbad Public Libraries.
The MiraCosta College Oceanside Campus is at 1 Barnard Drive, Oceanside, 92506.
