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| The 5th Puerto Rican And Cuban Festival In Houston Puerto Ricans and Cubans around the world celebrate with music and food, but in Houston? The reality is that more than 20, 000 Puerto Ricans, Cubans and otherwise get together in Houston once a year under one flag in October to celebrate salsa, merengue and Spanish Caribbean culture. The Puerto Rican and Cuban Festival (PRC Fest), one of the most prominent and popular festivals in Houston, will take place for the fifth consecutive year at Tranquility Park in downtown Houston. This year the PRC Festival will honor the musical legacy and life of the queen of salsa Celia Cruz. Orchestras and dance groups will feature special songs and dances to remember the "Guarachera de Cuba." The PRC Festival, to celebrate its 5th year, brings from Puerto Rico for the first time to Texas and the United States Southwest, the world famous Papo Lucca and La Sonora Poncena. Papo Lucca, considered one of the best piano instrumentalists in Latin Jazz and salsa, is the co-founder of the emblematic Puerto Rican orchestra. "Each year in Houston the Puerto Rican & Cuban Festival is a moment to be proud to be Puerto Rican, Cuban, to be Latinos, and celebrate our culture, " said Javier Ferrer, the lead organizer and creator of the Puerto Rican & Cuban Festival. "We honor this year Celia Cruz and we bring Papo Lucca who worked in many occasions with our dear Celia, what a perfect match for a great 5th year for PRC Festival." Performers of the festival include international headliners Papo Luca y la Sonora Poncena (Fania All Stars) as well as Rainel Pino con Orquesta de Timba, Grupo Ka-Che, Salmerum, Gonzo & Amanda Dance Showcase, Rafael Perez from Cuba, LD Dance Company, Houston Salsa Congress, among others. In addition to the musical performances, Cuban, Dominican and Puerto Rican restaurants will offer delicacies sure to help recover from all the dancing. Sponsors of the PRC Festival include Bud Light, Goya Foods, Fiesta, Houston Astros, Taco Milagro, Ferrer Productions, among others. A portion of the PRC Festival proceeds will be donated to the National Hispanic Professional Organization (NHPO) helping Latinos with career opportunities, professional development and leadership training. write your comments about the article :: © 2011 Jazz News :: home page |