True to the nature of the Bay Area, the Berkeley Farmers’ Market 2019 Salsa Festival was a celebration of the rich cultural diversity that thrives here and our community’s commitment to environmental sustainability.
Locals and Salsa enthusiasts from all over the Bay Area turned out to enjoy Salsa music, dance, and food, along with activities all based in reuse, recycling, sustainable daily practices, and the summer bounty of our fresh, organic, local farmers at the market.
At the Haute (pronounced “Hot”) Trash Photo Booth, festival goers tried on fashion designed out of recycled and discarded goods.
They posed for fun and to make a statement in innovative fashion-wear made of discarded computer chips, six pack plastic rings, and USPS Priority Mail packing materials.
The Kid’s Zone was bustling with children enjoying face painting, bubble blowing, clay modeling, and musical instrument making–with organic and up-cycled materials!
Grammy Award winner Christian Pepin with his Orquesta Bembé set the tone of the festival with their infectious upbeat music that kept the crowd dancing. Under the expertise of the Fenix Salsa dancers, attendees learned salsa dance routines that gave expression to the festive atmosphere and inspired an appreciation for this Afro-Cuban social dance tradition.
Fresh salsa demonstrations were a huge hit at the food demo booth as local chefs chopped up fresh tomatoes and vegetables sourced from the Berkeley Farmers’ Market vendors.
Craft beer hosted by Seismic Brewery was a crowd-pleaser and the popular Mojito booth served up drinks that were individually mixed and shaken with fresh, organic mint and limes. De Novo Wine poured champagne and rosé wine, as they shared what it means to be a California Certified Sustainable Winery.
Attendees flowed into the Berkeley Farmers’ Market to buy lunch and fresh produce, and then returned to the park to picnic and enjoy the music, dancing, and community that flowed through the festival all day.
Thank you for coming out to the Berkeley Farmers’ Market 2019 Salsa Festival! Please mark your calendars for our annual Día de Muertos Celebration (Day of the Dead) on October 29 at the Tuesday South Berkeley Farmers’ Market. ecologycenter.org/fm
