Oaxaca, Pacific Islander community to be focus of separate weekend festivals

KAYSVILLE — The Mexican state of Oaxaca and the Pacific Islander community are focus of a pair of cultural festivals on Saturday in Utah.

La Guelaguetza, an annual celebration organized by Oaxaca en Utah, is set for Saturday from noon-10 p.m. and will be held at Heritage Park in Kaysville, 250 N. Fairfield Road. It will feature food, dancing and colorful clothing representative of Oaxaca, a southern Mexican state with one of the most concentrated Indigenous populations in the country.

"Get ready for an unforgettable celebration filled with music, dance, tradition, delicious food and the joy of Oaxaca's eight regions," reads promotional material for the event.

Separately, the Aloha in Utah Foundation is reviving its annual Aloha Festival, halted after the 2020 installment as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold. Senga Nuga-Tuimaseve, the founder and president of the foundation, hopes to keep the event going each year from here on out.

"You can have a taste of the South Pacific right here in Utah," he said. The event goes from 10:45 a.m. on Saturday to around 10 p.m. and will be held at City Center Park in Orem, 300 E. Center St.

The Aloha Fest is meant to showcase and celebrate the varied Pacific Island cultures and will feature live music, hula dancing, typical food, artisans and more. As many as 10,000 people would attend prior installments and Nuga-Tuimaseve is hoping for a similar turnout this go-round.

"Through music, dance, food and culture, we remember the sacrifices of those who came before us and unite Utah's diverse communities through the spirit of Aloha. Their journey is Utah's journey. Their story is our story," reads promotional material for the event.

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