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One of North Carolina’s largest South American communities returns to Camp North End this Sunday to celebrate the Charlotte Peruvian Festival.
The annual gathering is held the last week of July to mark Peru’s independence from the Spanish Empire.
Martin Linares, the festival’s founder, explained that it’s also a sign of the local Peruvian community putting down roots and creating new traditions. More than 40% of North Carolina’s Peruvian population of 11,000 people live in the Charlotte metro area.
“I saw how other countries already had their own festivals but Peruvians didn’t,” said Linares, who grew up in Lima. “That was until the opportunity came up … and the first festival came together.”
That first event in 2018 was a big success, he said, and more people turned out than expected. The outdoor festival has continued to attract crowds.
Traditional dishes served up last year, such as ceviche and Peruvian tamales, sold out early in the day. To meet demand, this year’s vendors are preparing twice the amount of Peruvian food.
There will also be a full schedule of Peruvian music such as cumbia, along with other Latin American styles. Traditional dance acts such as “La Marinera” will include handcrafted costumes, most of them custom-made by artisans in Peru with support from the Peruvian Charlotte Cultural Association.
The festival kicks off Sunday at noon. Parking is free. Tickets are $10, and admission is free for kids under 10.
This story was produced through a collaboration between WFAE and La Noticia. You can read it in Spanishat La Noticia. Puedes leer la nota en español en La Noticia.
