Locals Under the Lights Latino returns to Festival Hispano

GEORGETOWN - For the second year, the Freeman Arts Pavilion will take its signature Locals Under the Lights event to Festival Hispano de Georgetown for a special Latino talent showcase.

Locals Under the Lights Latino will highlight the musical talents of performers and musicians from across Delmarva.

The deadline to apply is Aug. 15 for the Sept. 15 event, and interested performers can register at freemanarts.org/talent, according to a press release from Hook PR/Marketing.

“We are looking forward to this second year of showcasing Latino musicians and building closer connections with Delaware’s Latino community,” said Patti Grimes, Freeman Arts Pavilion executive director. “This celebration at Festival Hispano is the state’s outstanding arts performance highlighting Hispanic culture and plays a powerful role in strengthening Sussex County’s cultural and ethnic diversity.”

The winner of last year’s Locals Under the Lights Latino was Neillyn Firpo, a Dominican American singer. She said the highlight of the 2023 performance was seeing the “incredible talent” at the festival and the supportive atmosphere.

A 2024 graduate of Farleigh Dickinson University, Ms. Firpo is continuing to perform while pursuing her master’s degree, doing commercial and TV/film work. She encourages other performers to not focus on winning or losing.

“Embrace the opportunity to participate, as every audition and performance adds to your experience and validates your journey as an artist,” she said.

Festival Hispano de Delaware attracts approximately 20,000 people to downtown Georgetown annually for a celebration of Latino culture and heritage. It will run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15 along several blocks of North Race Street.

Featuring music, food, traditional arts and crafts, dancing, and community organizations, the event raises funds for local organizations such as La Casita and The Rosa Health Center.

Freeman Arts Pavilion, a program of the Joshua M. Freeman Foundation, has honored Latino culture by hosting Latino performers over the years, including Tito Puente Jr., Sonia De Los Santos and the Gipsy Kings.

This program is made possible, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency dedicated to nurturing and supporting the arts in Delaware, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts

Grant support is also provided by the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation, the Carl M. Freeman Foundation, Sussex County Council, and the State of Delaware.