The old, stoic and iconic building, located at 401 N. Main St, hosted its third annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration Festival to much fanfare as several hundred people attended the non-for-profit’s Spanish fiesta.

“This is Fire,” said Beatriz Colon-Delgado, 19, of Jamestown, but native of Yabucoa, Puerto Rico. “The music is loud and popping, the food is hot and yummy, and the community is out here enjoying the Hispanic culture.”

“The Latino and Hispanic Festival is quickly becoming an annual event where the community can come together to celebrate the local Hispanic and Latino culture and build community. It really is an event for everyone. An opportunity to meet neighbors that we may not have a chance to meet otherwise. It was a beautiful day, and we couldn’t have asked for better weather,” said Amanda Gesing, the executive director for the YWCA.

Gesing also pointed out that the success of the event was due to the collaborative efforts of many people, organizations and partners – and without that key ingredient the event wouldn’t have been possible.

Disc Jockey Alex ‘Djlelo’ Lantigua of Jamestown plays music as one person dances to the Hispanic music being played at the YWCA’s Hispanic Heritage Celebration Saturday evening. P-J Photo by Christopher Blakeslee

“It was a huge success thanks to our board, staff and community planning committee and funders. Special thanks to Carmen Perez, Yanira Castellano, Camille Rosado, Felix Ortiz, Rebekah LaMountain, and Britney McClain for all the work they did to make this event a success. And a special thank you to Walmart for funding the entertainment and public relations and the Chautauqua Regional Community Foundation (CRCF) for providing funding for the kids’ games and Dipson Theater for the popcorn. We had well over 100 individuals attend and 15 volunteers.”

The YWCA is a non-for-profit organization that is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all, according to ywca.org. The organization’s vision is to see a world where all women, girls, and gender-diverse people, especially those of color, are free from racism and sexism, experience justice and equity, and are able to thrive.

For more information visit ywcajamestown.com or call 716-488-2237.

Disc Jockey Alex ‘Djlelo’ Lantigua of Jamestown plays music as one person dances to the Hispanic music being played at the YWCA’s Hispanic Heritage Celebration Saturday evening. P-J Photo by Christopher Blakeslee

More than 100 people enjoyed an immersive experience Saturday at the YWCA of Jamestown’s Hispanic Heritage Celebration. The festive event included Hispanic music, food, dance, art on Fourth Street between North Main Street and Washington Street. P-J Photo by Christopher Blakeslee