Fiesta, fiesta

Sacramento’s Festival de la Familia turns 20 this year, which means it’s time for a celebración. The annual event will be held at Cal Expo this Sunday, and in honor of its milestone achievement, the festival is subtitled “20 Years: 20 Families.”

The multiethnic festival began in 1991 to celebrate Latino culture, customs and traditions, and this year it will honor 20 families who have been instrumental in supporting the event throughout the years. It will also celebrate the concept of family, with family-friendly, interactive and educational activities.

It all kicks off at 9 a.m. with a group Mass ceremony. Then on four stages, in two buildings and throughout multiple outdoor areas, the festival begins celebrating more than 20 cultures, from Mexico to Brazil to Argentina. Attendees can sample from a wide range of Latin food vendors, shop in an open-air mercado, and create and purchase arts and crafts. In other festival areas, families can listen to Latin beats and dance, view educational exhibitions on Latin heritage or sign up for a community outreach program. All-day events include a book sale and healthy-recipe class taught by Live Food Academy chef Margaret Gomes. Another highlight is a 1:30 p.m. parade through the festival.

A nonprofit organization since 1997, the festival is run entirely by the work of more than 500 volunteers. It draws an estimated 20,000 people annually. So for a buen tiempo, pack up the familia, head to Cal Expo and, yes, fiesta.