Carla Clark | For The Republic Karla Guerrero in front of her butterly project, Nuestra Alas - Our Wings, symbolizing migration and unity during Ethnic Expo Fiesta Latina on Fourth Street in Columbus Indiana, Saturday, October 2, 2021.
A festival that celebrates Latino culture will return to downtown Columbus this fall.
The Columbus Board of Works has approved a downtown special event application for Fiesta Latina, which is scheduled for Oct. 1 from noon to 10 p.m.
The application, submitted by Luz Elena Michel and Su Casa, requests that Fourth Street be closed from Jackson to Franklin streets, with the gates shut from 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. The event will include vendors and food, and expected attendance is 3,000 people.
According to the applicants, the event’s purpose is to “create a sense of belonging for our Latino community” by sharing language, traditions, music and culture.
The city also received an event application from Kanoo Sahajwala and the Indian Association of Columbus for Celebrate India Day on May 21. However, the applicants later chose to withdraw their submission, said Executive Director of Public Works/City Engineer Dave Hayward. The requested closure was Fourth Street between Franklin and Washington.
Hayward said that the Celebrate India applicants will likely resubmit at a later date but were not ready as of May 4.
