‘They get to see people who look like them.’ Idaho festival returns after 5-year break

Ruby Padilla Roberts walked out in front of the stage at Cecil Andrus Park on Saturday, the wings of her skirt spread wide. As the music started, Padilla Roberts held one side of her skirt out and the other side close, spinning in a circle as the Idaho Capitol stood tall behind her.

She was dancing with Danza Boricua, a local Puerto Rican group performing publicly for the first time — debuting at this year’s Latino Fest. Her two daughters danced with her.

“We’re just wanting to make sure that our kids that are being raised outside of the island have access to all of that rich culture that we have,” Padilla Roberts said. “The feeling (to dance with my kids) is incomparable.”

This year’s Latino Fest was the first one since 2019. And the day began with a bang as drummers started pounding their instruments downtown on Saturday afternoon. Danza Boricua’s dancers twirled their skirts back and forth through the Grove Plaza and down 8th Street as bystanders filmed, danced along and clapped their hands in time.

The parade wound its way to Cecil Andrus Park, where food trucks lining the park sold arepas, tacos and more. Children climbed inflatable slides, slipping back down. And festival goers could grab flag stickers to put on a map indicating where they were from.

“This is for you all,” an organizer’s voice rumbled out over the crowd in Spanish. “Enjoy it!”

Penélope Larsen stood Saturday by a large map of Latin America. She put a sticker on the Dominican Republic, where she’s from. Larsen moved to the United States when she was 4 years old and has lived in Idaho for 11 years.

“This event is so important to me because it helps to see the community in a place where I sometimes feel isolated,” Larsen said, choking up. “I know I’m not the only Dominican in Idaho and I know I’m not the only Latina in Idaho, so it helps to see yourself in your people here, all in one place, and have one big party.”

Laren’s kids came with her on Saturday. She’s taken her children to the Dominican Republic a couple times. Larsen wants to instill in them a sense of stubbornness from her culture, of setting your mind to something and getting it done and of pulling through in times of crisis.

“My kids are here. ... they get to see people who look like them, get to celebrate their culture,” Larsen said.

Food trucks sold Colombian and Peruvian food near a space set up with information about every Spanish-Speaking country. Throughout the festival, stands sold food such as elotes, a Mexican corn dish.

Laz Ponce, from Eagle, came to see a family member’s food stand. The festival was important, he said. “It brings people together.”

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