Puerto Rican Fest Moved to Saturday

In a last-minute scramble on Thursday afternoon, organizers of the city's Puerto Rican Festival moved the 44th annual event up one day – from Sunday, Aug. 14, to Saturday, Aug. 13 – because of forecasted rain.

"We've been watching the weather all week - most forecasts called for heavy rain," Mayor Michael Rohde said. "Today, we figured out 'hey we could do this Saturday, get the word out and everything in place.'"

The event will now be held from noon - 8 p.m. this Saturday at Hubbard Park in Meriden and will offer rides for kids, vendors serving Latin American and Spanish foods, cultural tents and product vendors and a host of entertainment. 

Rain dates normally fall a week after a scheduled event, but according to Rohde, some of this year's entertainers will be coming in from great distances and will likely not be able to return the following week.

In particular, organizers are flying the festival's key performer – Jose Miguel Class or "El Gallito de Puerto Rico" – in from Puerto Rico. Class is an iconic singer who rose to fame in the 1960s and 1970s throughout Latin America.

There will also be salsa, merengue and native music by Amor y Cultura, Carlos Juan "El Lunatico," Lyzbeth "La Nena De La Bachata," Orquesta Pueblo de Mario Donato, and Orquesta Sensacional.

Admission is free for the fest. Though it has been around for more than 40 years, last year attendance jumped from about 350 people in 2009 to about 5,000 in 2010.

Rohde, who has been working with festival Chairman and a committee of volunteers on the event, said they expect even more people to show up, even with the changeup.

"The only switch is that we changed up the date," he said, "otherwise we'll have more entertainment from Puerto Rico, more rides for the kids..."