Haniny Hillberg is worried that today’s children spend too much time on their electronic devices. It’s part of the reason she hopes families will attend this weekend’s Fiesta in Florissant. She hopes attendees will temporarily forget about their smartphones and instead enjoy the games she played while growing up in Bolivia.
Hillberg is the driving force behind Hispanic Festival, Inc., a nonprofit that seeks to bring cultural harmony to St. Louis. The Fiesta in Florissant will showcase Latin and South American culture through folk art, dance, live music, food, and fun for the little ones.
Discover fun things to do with the family
Subscribe to the St. Louis Family newsletter for family-friendly things to do and news for local parents, sent every Monday.
The Los Niños Kids Corner will include piñatas, Dora the Explorer, pony rides, inflatables, and craft-related activities, such as painting masks and making maracas. Children can also pick up a World Traveler Passport and win a prize after visiting booths that represent various countries.
Everything at the festival will be as authentic as possible, says Hillberg, including the home-cooked food. No restaurant vendors will be selling their fare this weekend; instead, Hillberg and Fiesta in Florissant volunteers sought outstanding cooks to serve up specialty dishes from their homelands. No two booths are the same.
“You can go to a restaurant anytime,” says Hillberg. “But how often can you get homemade food?”
On Sunday, check out the 4th Annual Miss Chiquita Bonita Contest. The pageant-like contest is not about judging who’s the most beautiful (all of the participants get crowns), but about instilling confidence, poise, and pride in heritage, says Hillberg. The contestants will show off beautiful dresses from their native culture and practice public speaking.
The festival not only celebrates Hispanic culture, but also serves as a fundraiser for Hispanic Festival, Inc.’s college scholarship fund.
Looking to host your own fiesta? Make one of these piñatas with your kids this summer:
- Summer Fun Piñatas
- Mini Piñatas from toilet paper tubes
- Paper Sack Piñata
- Minecraft Piñata
- Star Wars Piñata
- Unicorn Piñata
- Super Fast DIY Piñata
Fiesta in Florissant is June 25-26 at Knights of Columbus Park. Admission and parking are free. Visit Hispanic Festival, Inc. for more info.
