Ocracoke Celebrates Together

Rainy weather on Friday, November 9th gave way to sunny, breezy, and cooler weather Saturday for the main day of the 3rd Annual Festival Latino de Ocracoke. Friday night began with a concert at the Community Center and the Festival closed up with a basketball tournament in the Ocracoke School gym on Sunday. In between, Saturday, November 10th was a day filled with music, dancing, games, and of course, food on the grounds of Books to Be Red and the surrounding area of School Road. 

David Tweedie, president of the sponsoring organization, Ocracoke Alive, and a member of the festival committee, said that as usual, the food was a major attraction for the festival. He said that the Latino community “worked their usual magic with a wonderful array of dishes.”  And indeed there was a large variety of traditional foods including chicken and pork tacos, pozole (a flavorful hominy stew with pork), taquitos, tamales, elote (corn on the cob with toppings), and esquites (sauteed corn with spices). There were hot and cold drinks including Mexican hot chocolate and a selection of desserts including traditional favorites such as flan and Tres Leches cake. 

More non-Latino community members volunteered this year. As David noted, the Latino community prepares all of the food so they asked if some other community members and students from Ocracoke School could help with the serving. A goal of the festival is not just to showcase Latino culture but to bring cultures together. Judging by the happy faces, volunteers and participants were having a terrific time.

“It’s a wonderful day,” said Sharon Brodisch, while volunteering at the ticket and merchandise booth. Sharon is also an Ocracoke Alive boad member. “There is great music and there are lots of smiling faces. I’m glad everyone came out!” This was Sharon’s first year to volunteer. She noted that she was supposed to volunteer by serving food last year but they sold out of everything before her shift was to begin. Although some items sold out this year, food was still available at 4pm, the official ending time of the afternoon festivities.

Festival organizer Freddy Contreras took a break between introducing acts on the stage to remark that this year was the most successful yet. “It’s going great! We have a larger audience, more food, more music, and hopefully we’ll make more money,” he said. Freddy says that he believes the festival is a very positive thing for the coummunity. The visiting artists love the sense of closeness and warmth in the Ocracoke community and felt very welcomed.

Of course, in addition to the volunteers, it takes many hands to organize such a festival. In addition to Freddy Contreras and David Tweedie, the festival committe consisted of Eduardo Chavez, Gloria Benitez Perez, Antonia Ortiz, David Perez, and Rocio Trejo. They are looking for more committee members next year as Eduardo and Gloria are stepping down and Freddie is moving away. 

Gloria was busy making tortillas but commented that she would like to give other community members a chance to serve on the committee and bring in new ideas. She will be serving on the Ocracoke Alive board so she will still be involved with the festival.

Eduardo Chavez took time from his very busy day of preparing tacos to also comment about stepping down from the committee. He too wants others to have a chance to be involved, such as people with children. “Kids are the future,” he said. He is very pleased that the festival has been such a big success.

And as the sun began to set and community members, Latino and non-Latino, jumped in to help pack up the supplies and food, it was clear that this festival was a success, not just in providing great food and entertainment, but in helping to bring the community closer by working together.

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