CHELITA: Arts, Music and Miches Festival brings tradition to Oxnard
OXNARD, Calif. - The CHELITA: Arts, Music and Miches Festival kicked off at Heritage Square in Oxnard this weekend.
Once known as “PACC the Arts Festival,” the event has been renamed as “CHELITA: Arts, Music, and Miches Festival.”
Despite its name change, the festival showcased local culture and creativity for the community.
The CHELITA: Arts, Music and Miches Festival transformed Heritage Square into a cultural day in Oxnard.
In addition to music, dance and art, the festival celebrated michelidas, a traditional Mexican beer cocktail.
"It tastes like heaven," said participant Apolinar Villanueva of the festival.
"I love micheladas … so I figured why not stop by," said participant Kailene Rodriguez of the festiva.
"It's a highly hispanic community, and we just wanted to mix art, and micheladas together and music," said director of events Christian Ramiriez of the Oxnard Performing Arts Center.
Organizers said they are pleased more than 30 vendors participated in this year's festival.
"I’ve always been excited to be in a big event like this one," said vendor Omar Cobarruvias of Michelux.
The festival included two starges of live entertainment, interactive exhibits, and plenty of food to go around.
Organizers hope to continue the annual festival celebrating the Hispanic cultural heritage with local artists across the city.
Organizers said the Chelita Festival is designed for families with interactive activities, games, and workshops to engage children and parents alike.
“We are thrilled to introduce the Chelita Festival to the community,” said Christian Ramirez, Festival Director. “This event is not only a celebration of our cultural heritage but also an opportunity to highlight the immense talent and creativity that our city possesses.”
This event was made possible through the support of the City of Oxnard’s Festival Comeback Grant and the Downtown Oxnard Improvement Association.
The festival took place on Sunday, October 1, 2023 from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at 715 S A St, Oxnard, CA 93030.
For more information about the Chelita: Arts, Music, and Miches Festival, visit: theopac.org/chelita.
