Adela Ferrari brought her 5-year-old twins to celebrate their Colombian cultural heritage.
“We love the YMCA and we saw the signs for the Hispanic Heritage event,” she said. “They were having piñatas.”
More than 1,000 mostly families danced to Latin music, ate paella and brought out the day-glow tiaras and bracelets for the children after dark for Baila Conmigo – Celebrating Hispanic Heritage at the Peter Blum Family YMCA, 6631 Palmetto Circle S, in Boca Raton. Baila Conmigo means “dance with me” in Spanish, and they did.
No mistaking the throngs at the bounce houses or salsa dancing to Los Mompirris under a pavilion on the Y grounds on the fields out back. “The kids did four piñatas for different ages and each child got candy and trinkets,” said co-chairwoman Roxana Scaffidi.
“Several people were saying we were close to 1,000 attendees between children and grownups. After 7 p.m. we got a second group of grown-ups that came for the Mariachis,” said Y board member Mary Sol Gonzalez, who was chairwoman of the Oct. 7 event.
“We’re Y members and came for a fun event for my daughter,” said Fatima Jallal.”We love Spanish music and Latin food.”
The Y is used to big crowds and Y executive director Chris Sapp estimated its end-of-summer open house drew 650. “But I would say over the four hours about 1,000 came and left,” he said afterward. “We were so thrilled with the community support.”
The event benefited the Y’s financial assistance program.