Oxnard celebrated its 17th annual Multicultural Festival, held Saturday, Oct. 6 at Plaza Park in downtown Oxnard. Photo courtesy of Jess and Martha Gutierrez.
By Jess Gutierrez / Guest contributor
Several thousand guests enjoyed music, dance, food, and culture from around the world at Oxnard’s 17th Annual Multicultural Festival in downtown’s Plaza Park on Oct. 6. The festival, hosted by Oxnard’s Community Relations Commission, celebrates Oxnard’s rich diversity through its residents’ culture, food, dress, music, song, art, and dance.
According to the Ventura County, 2012 Census Bureau, Latinos compose 73.5 percent of Oxnard’s population; White persons not Latino, 14.9 percent; Asian, 7.4 percent; African Americans, 2.9 percent; American Indian, 1.5 percent; Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.3 percent. A large number of Filipinos and Vietnamese call Oxnard home.
The booths were decorated with each country’s flag, music, arts and crafts. Some of the countries represented flying their flags were Mexico, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Bolivia, Chile, Japan, and Colombia. Guests had a passport booklet stamped as they visited each booth and learned something about each country.
Musicians and dancers provided entertainment from different countries. A group of local Colombians joined together and proudly sponsored the Colombia booth and pooled resources and contracted a Riverside folkloric dance group, “Un Sueño Llamado Colombia (A dream called Colombia)” composed of adults and kids. The group performed Colombian dance rhythms such as garabato, currulao, mapale, san juanero, joropo, and cumbia.
Oxnard celebrated its 17th annual Multicultural Festival, held Saturday, Oct. 6 at Plaza Park in downtown Oxnard. Photo courtesy of Jess and Martha Gutierrez.
Oxnard celebrated its 17th annual Multicultural Festival, held Saturday, Oct. 6 at Plaza Park in downtown Oxnard. Photo courtesy of Jess and Martha Gutierrez.
Oxnard celebrated its 17th annual Multicultural Festival, held Saturday, Oct. 6 at Plaza Park in downtown Oxnard. Photo courtesy of Jess and Martha Gutierrez.
Oxnard celebrated its 17th annual Multicultural Festival, held Saturday, Oct. 6 at Plaza Park in downtown Oxnard. Photo courtesy of Jess and Martha Gutierrez.
Oxnard celebrated its 17th annual Multicultural Festival, held Saturday, Oct. 6 at Plaza Park in downtown Oxnard. Photo courtesy of Jess and Martha Gutierrez.
Oxnard celebrated its 17th annual Multicultural Festival, held Saturday, Oct. 6 at Plaza Park in downtown Oxnard. Photo courtesy of Jess and Martha Gutierrez.
Oxnard celebrated its 17th annual Multicultural Festival, held Saturday, Oct. 6 at Plaza Park in downtown Oxnard. Photo courtesy of Jess and Martha Gutierrez.
Ventura County Fifth District Supervisor John Zaragoza poses with others in front of the Colombia booth. Oxnard celebrated its 17th annual Multicultural Festival, held Saturday, Oct. 6 at Plaza Park in downtown Oxnard. Photo courtesy of Jess and Martha Gutierrez.
Oxnard celebrated its 17th annual Multicultural Festival, held Saturday, Oct. 6 at Plaza Park in downtown Oxnard. Photo courtesy of Jess and Martha Gutierrez.
Oxnard celebrated its 17th annual Multicultural Festival, held Saturday, Oct. 6 at Plaza Park in downtown Oxnard. Photo courtesy of Jess and Martha Gutierrez.