Lane County’s two-months long Fiesta Cultural, where Latino art takes over local exhibits, kicks off at the First Friday ArtWalk on Sept. 2. It’s a sort of comeback for the event, says Jessica Watson, Lane Arts Council’s First Friday ArtWalk coordinator. Watson says 2019’s event brought in about 1,500 to 2,000 attendees, but the last two years saw cancellations due to COVID-19 and wildfire smoke. This year’s kick off takes place at the recently opened Farmers Market Pavilion, the first time Lane Arts has hosted a big event there. The kick off features music from Organización Oaxaca (pictured), which performs a variety of Mexican musical genres, and DJ texcaliente. And it’ll have three local food vendors, as well as drinks from Xicha Brewing Company, a Salem-based Latino-operated business that is soon opening a Eugene location. And there’s another First Friday ArtWalk stop to soak up Latino culture. From 6:45 to 7:45 pm, there’s an opening reception on an exhibit on charrería, the national sport of Mexico that dates back to the 1500s involving horsemanship, roping and cattle work. Charro Attire Exhibition: Origin and Symbolic Details of the Charro Outfit has its opening reception at 856 Willamette Street, with a performance from Mariachi Monumental, tamales and crafts. 

Fiesta Cultural kickoff is 5:30 to 10 pm at Farmers Market Pavilion, 85 E. 8th Avenue. Free. Visit LaneArts.org/fiesta-cultural for more information on art exhibits and events in the area that run through December.

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