Fun and a little education will go hand-in-hand at this weekend’s Family Salsa Festival at the Good Samaritan Mission in Wimauma.
With vendors, music, games and, of course, every type of salsa you can imagine — and some you probably can’t — the event will also feature more than 40 vendors. Mixed in with the arts and crafts and food vendors will be government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and social service agencies, and more.
It’s all part of the mission at Good Samaritan to not just help the needy but, more importantly, let them know what resources are available to help themselves. At the same time, the event moves the Mission toward its long-term goal of becoming a community center for Wimauma.
The festival is slated for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 21, on the Mission’s grounds, 14920 Balm Wimauma Road. Parking and admission are free.
“Everyone has been stepping up to the plate and helping us,” said Rebecca Reynal, who is assisting Anne Madden, Bill Cruz Jr. and Jennifer Daly with the event. Reynal and her husband retired to Sun City Center two years ago.
The festival will also have family entertainment, dancing, music and lots of children’s activities, including a chili pepper treasure hunt.
The event’s salsa competition will feature, among other varieties, Fruit Salsa, El Chocolatte Salsa and Senior Salsa: Mild and Mellow. For $2, visitors can sample every salsa in the contest and vote for their favorites.
Raffle tickets are $5 for three tickets with prizes including a one-night stay at The Resort and Club at Little Harbor; Florida sports memorabilia; beauty products and jewelry; and kitchen items, among others.
The idea for the festival was born four years ago when the Mission was trying to come up with a new fundraising idea.
“We are always looking for ways to improve the Mission and make it more community-minded,” said Cruz, executive director. “So in our staff meeting, I said, ‘I would love to put Wimauma on the map,’ so we thought Plant City has the Strawberry Festival and Apollo Beach has the Seafood Festival. And then my wife, Teresa, suggested a salsa festival.”
For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page – Family Salsa Festival – or visit www.gsmission.org.
Vendors
Among the food vendors at the event will be:
Ana’s Food Truck
The Gringo Grill
Holy Cow Kettle Corn
Clark Family Food Stand
New Life Concessions
Entertainment for the event will include:
DJ Luis Molina
JSA/Gus Adams Salsa Dance Team performance
Theatre Arts and Dance Alliance performance
Brandon Ballet performance
Egypt Shrine clowns
Sun City Center Railroad Club
Wimauma Mutiny RYSA U-17
Wimauma Redbulls Soccer Team
Maxima 92.5 Street Team
Vendors for the event include:
Patty’s Bows
C.A.R.E Animal Shelter
LifePath Hospice
Alzheimer’s Association Memory Bus
University of Florida Hillsborough County Extension Service
US Equal Employment Opportunities Commission
US Citizenship & Immigration Services
Florida Council on Crime & Delinquency
Bay Area Legal Services