Blessed with successful first year, Hispanic Heritage Festival returns to Gibsonburg

Latin Grammy nominee Lucky Joe will headline the second annual Hispanic Heritage Festival Saturday in Gibsonburg.

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month and the generations of Hispanic/Latino culture in Gibsonburg, festival organizers partnered with the village for the event at Williams Park.

The event organizer, Gibsonburg native Jaime Mancha II, is a familiar face to many, as his day job is working as the fiscal officer for Madison Township.

“The creation of this festival has been a lifelong dream for me. I created this festival in hopes of paying homage to my roots, my culture and my ancestors. In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month and with rich Hispanic/Latino culture in Gibsonburg and Sandusky County, we partnered with the village to bring something totally new to our area,” Mancha said.

Mancha considered the first official festival a huge success.

“Last year being a first-time event, we were blessed with nothing but success with over 1,200 people in attendance. This year we are hoping for the same and hopefully even more,” Mancha said.

The event started in 2020 as a private drive-in function during the COVID pandemic on several acres owned by Mancha’s family just outside Gibsonburg. It allowed for social distancing. He explained that people were so eager for entertainment and any interpersonal connection that more than 125 vehicles showed up, with at least 450 people. After several years of growth, it expanded to the current public event at Williams Park.

Lucky Joe is on his Échale Ganas Tour 2024. He is a Latin Grammy nominee, in the Best Tejano Album category, with his album "Tu Principe."

Also performing will be several bands from the Detroit and Toledo areas including La Traizion, Motivo and Grupo Vicio.

Toledo's El Corazon De Mexico Ballet Folklorico dance group, also called The Heart of Mexico Folkloric Ballet, will perform. Since 1996, the group has been educating people about the history and culture of Mexico through folkloric dance at festivals, weddings, civic and religious functions and other events.

Music will continue between shows with special guest MC: Bumper Gomez from "Bumper's Wacky Wednesday's" Tejano Music podcast, and DJ Juanio from Toledo.

There will also be 10 or more food trucks, with merchandise vendors, bounce houses, a low rider car show and more family fun, especially for the kids.

The festival will start at 2 p.m. and close out at 11:30 p.m. Tickets are available at lfme.ticketleap.com/HHFest24

rlapointe@gannett.com

419-332-2674

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Blessed with successful first year, Hispanic Heritage Festival returns to Gibsonburg