The Castaic Regional Sports Complex and Val Verde Community Regional Park commemorated Hispanic Heritage Month with a free celebration funded by the L.A. County Parks and Recreation Department, highlighting Hispanic culture and traditions, aiming to honor the communities that shaped the cultural fabric of Los Angeles County.
The Castaic Regional Sports Complex, which is often used by the youth who want to play a variety of sports, was transformed into a cultural celebration with authentic food such as empanadas and esquites, or corn cups, and Latin music performed by a live band on Friday evening. The foot traffic was light, but those in attendance had the chance to participate in a salsa making class and witness a ballet folklorico and mariachi performance. “Salsa is actually a food amongst a lot of different Hispanic cultures,” said Brandi Ware, a volunteer with the center.
“It has a broad scope, there’s many different variations.” When developing the program for the evening celebration, Ashley Lipson, supervisor of the park, wanted to have something that could best represent all the different countries, she said. The Castaic Regional Sports Complex hosts numerous events throughout the year that are culturally focused and “everybody gets represented throughout the year,” said Ware.
“[Guests] get to come and see people who look like them. They get to learn stuff if they’re not of that culture,” and it serves as an educational experience for people who may.