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Latin festival returns ArtsQuest announces ¡Sabor! will take place at SteelStacks June 24-26

ArtsQuest, in partnership with B. Braun Medical Inc. and La Mega Radio, will present the return of ¡Sabor! Latin Festival, to the SteelStacks campus on June 24-26.

The free-admission family friendly celebration of Latin heritage and Hispanic culture will be hosted over the course of three days featuring music, food and fun throughout the campus.

“¡Sabor! Festival weekend at ArtsQuest is a great place for getting on your feet to let the music move you to a Latin beat while enjoying authentic Hispanic food and culture,” Latin Programming Committee Chair Myrna Rivera said.

“The ¡Sabor! Festival offers the Lehigh Valley community the opportunity to showcase their beautiful culture via music, food and artistic expression,” Latin Programing Committee member Iris M Cintron said. “It serves as a validation of the cultural contributions that Latinos have made to the Lehigh Valley. It also demonstrates ArtsQuest’s commitment to our cultural heritage.”

Getting the celebration started on June 24, Air Products Town Square will feature a free dance party hosted by LatinaFM.

The Levitt Pavilion stage will feature Nexo, a New York City Merengue trio. Folk-group Herencia Jibara displays their Puerto Rican musical roots with beautiful melodies and energetic rhythms created by exploring Caribbean, Salsa, Merengue and Bachata flavors in the night’s closing set on the Highmark Stage at Air Products Town Square.

Independent Latinx improve comedy team, Chucho, will perform with ArtsQuest’s own Synced Up at 9:15 p.m., inside the Visitor Center. Chucho has performed all over New York City, at Big City Improv Fest in Toronto and featured in the past five SteelStacks Improve Comedy Festivals.

On June 25, a special flag raising ceremony will take place outside the Visitors Center at SteelStacks at 3 p.m., followed by Allentown’s own eight-piece salsa plena merengue group Los Pleneros de USA at the Town Square.

Rounding out the lineup for the day is 11-member salsa dura group PA Mambo Orquesta. This group will tease out the dancer in everyone with their hard chagrining gritty old-school style. Hector Rosado y su Orq Hache will headline the Levitt Stage while Pancho Bongo y su Orquesta, a high-energy classic salsa group consisting of 14 talented musicians, will end the night on the Highmark Stage. Improv team Chucho will give a solo performance at 9:15 p.m., inside the Visitor Center.

Saturday night features a special performance by Charlie Cruz in the Musikfest Café presented by Yuengling. Cruz has been well received by the Puerto Rican recording industry and is considered one of the newest stars to come from the Salsa genre. Cruz got his start in 1996 when he began working as vocalist in Domingo Quiñones’ Orchestra. He made his mark on the international scene with the released of his album Imagínate in 1999.

Tickets for this show are now on sale and can be purchased at steelstacks.org.

On June 26, Holy Infancy will host a Mariachi Mass in the Musikfest Café in the morning. This Mass free to all those who attend.

During the weekend, Latin inspired food will be served by Hogar Crea and Holy Infancy in addition to ArtsQuest’s own quick service bar and kitchen Palette & Pour and Mack Truck.

Family crafts will be hosted over the course of the festival by the engaging artists of the Banana Factory.

This festival is free and open to the public. For more details and full activity line up visit SteelStacks.org.

SteelStacks will welcome ¡Sabor! Latin Festival in June. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO