24th Annual Oxnard Salsa Festival - July 29 & 30, 2017

Whether the word “salsa” brings to mind hot Latin sounds and exotic dancing or spicy culinary flavors, the 24th Annual Oxnard Salsa Festival has it all. The festival, July 29 and 30, celebrates the flavors of salsa – the food, music and dance. It all takes place at Plaza Park, Fifth and “B” streets in historic downtown Oxnard from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. both days. Festivalgoers are treated to live salsa and Latin jazz bands, salsa dance lessons, a tasting tent with dozens of different varieties of salsa and hot sauces and a salsa recipe challenge. The two days also feature a vendor marketplace, international cuisine and a kids' zone. Presented by the Oxnard Downtowners, the festival attracts salsa lovers from throughout southern California.

Friday Night Kick-off Concert

Begin a weekend of non-stop salsa and Latin beats with a Friday, July 28 concert that kick-offs the 24th Annual Oxnard Salsa Festival. Sponsored by Shock Top, Leslie Paula and her 12-piece Latin Soul Band with perform with special guest Latin signer Yari More. The concerts is from7 p.m. to 9 p.m. (gates open at 5:30 p.m.). Joining Paula will be her father, Latin jazz icon percussionist Miguel Gutierrez.

Lawn seating is $15 in advance ($17 the night of the concert) with table seating for six, $120. Bring a picnic dinner. Beer and wine margaritas are available for purchase (no outside alcohol is permitted).Parking is in the 4th and B Streets garage.

Dance to the Salsa Beat

Saturday starts off at 11 a.m. with the Arsenio Rodriguez Project, an all-star ensemble of today’s top L.A. musicians. Next up at 2 p.m., Orquesta Bonkó takes the stage with a powerful, danceable and unique repertoire making the group a favorite among salsa dancers and music enthusiasts. The music continues at 4:45 p.m. with Louie Cruz Beltran, a charismatic entertainer, singer and master percussionist who has captivated audiences with his dynamic stage presence and wonderful vocals.

On Sunday, the nine-piece band La Verdad begins the festival at 11 a.m. headed by Grammy award winning singer songwriter Gabrielito Gonzalez, arranger-producer Matt Amper and Latin percussion artist Joey de Leon. From 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., it’s orchestra director Angel Lebron Y Su Sabor Latino-- three generations of New York Latin musicians bringing classic salsa to the stage. Topping off Sunday is Janeen Puente and her orchestra from 4:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. The band pays tribute to the female icons of salsa, from La Lupe to La India, but with Puente’s own voice and style.

Salsa Dance Shows

Six community leaders will put on their dancing shoes for charity during the “2017 Dancing With Our Community Stars Dance Contest and Charity Fundraiser,” Sunday, July 30 at 1 p.m. The contest is a salsa version of the hit TV show “Dancing With The Stars.” Local celebrities are paired with the area’s top dance instructors for a salsa showdown at the festival main stage dance floor that has raised over $700,000 since its inception. For a line up of stars, dance instructors and charities, go to http://oxnardsalsafestival.com/dance/.

Also check out the Community Stage with performer of all ages—from pre-school dance ensembles to local mariachi bands.

Great Oxnard Salsa Challenge Recipe Contest

Salsa lovers put their creations to the test by entering The Great Oxnard Salsa Challenge. The Challenge gets underway on Sunday morning, July 30. Judging begins at 11 a.m. followed by the announcement of the winners at 1 p.m. from the Main Stage. Winning salsas will be selected in several categories including best red, best green, best mild, best medium, best fruit and best hot! First place category winners receive a Festival "goodie bag." The Judge’s Choice Winner for ‘best of the best’ will also be awarded with a $100 cash prize from the Oxnard Salsa Festival.

Kids' Zone

Oxnard’s Art & Music Factory puts on a great art and craft boot, where kids can get super creative making unique salsa-themed crafts using real tortillas. The tortilla art is lead by Gloria Hidrogo, a graduate of Bellas Artes in Mexico and the Art & Music Factory’s Director of Art. Kids can also get their bodies jumping and moving in a variety of inflatables. Older kids will want to take on the challenge of conquering the festival’s climbing wall.

Festival Marketplace Food & Shopping

The vendor marketplace features unique wares including fashions, hand-crafted jewelry, potted succulents, Latin American imports, baked goods, gourmet sauces, garden art, home décor and boutique items. Over 100 merchants come from all parts of California participate in Plaza Park and surrounding streets. Two food courts feature authentic Mexican tacos, fish tacos, fresh shrimp cocktails, tortas, empanadas, freshly made spiral, ribbon fries, nachos, roasted corn, kettle corn and other festival favorites.

Salsa Tasting Tent

From fresh & fruity, hot & smoky, sweet & spicy or extremely hot … it’s all here to taste in the festival's big covered salsa tasting tent. The festival will showcase over 15 different exhibitors including local restaurants, gourmet salsa purveyors and specialty grocers. Tent admission is $5 per person, which includes freshly made Mission Foods' tortilla chips and 10 tasting tickets. Next door is the Salsa Cantina, with ice‐cold beer and wine margaritas for sale--a cooling match for even the hotest salsas.

Reserved Seating at the Main Stage

Open lawn seating is available for $5 (kids under 10 are free). No umbrellas are permitted. Another option is to purchase Club Salsa reserved table seating available on the west side of the stage with a table for six and an umbrella for shade.

Tickets can be puchased individually or by table. Information and reservations can be found online. http://oxnardsalsafestival.com/reserved-tables-and-seating

A Community Effort

The Oxnard Salsa Festival began 24 years ago by a group of downtown merchants with a desire to celebrate Oxnard’s multicultural flavors and agricultural roots. As the popularity of salsa music and dance increased, and salsa emerged as the number one condiment in America (beating out ketchup), the Oxnard Salsa Festival evolved into a celebration of salsa food, music and dance. Today, the Salsa Festival is Oxnard’s largest free community event, drawing about 45,000 people every summer. Behind the scenes, festival organizers, volunteers, downtown advocates and event sponsors work countless hours to create this cultural and community event.

The 24th Annual Oxnard Salsa Festival is presented by the Oxnard Downtowners, and sponsored by Bud Light, Gold Coast Broadcasting, Mission Foods, Oxnard Convention & Visitors Bureau, Premier America and other community partners.

For a listing of hotels and visitor attractions, visit www.visitoxnard.com or call the Oxnard Convention & Visitors Bureau at 1-800-2-Oxnard.

Admission and parking are free. Main stage seating is just $5 (can be purchased in advance online). No coolers or pets are permitted on festival grounds.

For festival information, call 805-535-4060, email info@oxnardsalsafestival.com or visit www.oxnardsalsafestival.com and on Facebook.