Three Reasons You Should Go to the Latin Music Festival this Weekend

If you like salsa music, dancing and unique and savory foods, you won’t want to miss the Warren Morrow Latin Music Festival on July 20th at The Canopy at Brenton Skating Plaza in Downtown Des Moines (DSM). 

Named for Warren Morrow, a Latino activist and inductee of the Iowa Latino Hall of Fame who died suddenly in 2012, the festival brings a variety of musicians for their Iowa debut. This year, the headliner is Celso Piña, a world-famous singer, composer, arranger and one of the best accordionists on the planet. 

The Music

Aside from world-famous Cumbia, experience classic Latin Rock with Revolucion de Amor: Mana Tribute Band, the eclectic mix of instruments and sounds of Dos Santos, all the way from Colombia we welcome Dolly’s Cuartet, vocalist and reality show talent Rosendo Rosales brings ballads and banda, and local favorites Parranderos Latin Combo and Cuidad de Monjes will bring Des Moines flavor. It’s a mix of high-energy rhythms from across the Americas meant to keep you moving and shaking all night.

 

The Vibe

This family friendly festival has something for everyone. The kids can bounce in between leaving their mark on a mural presented by local artist and especially designed for the festival. Cold drinks will keep everyone cool under The Canopy at Brenton Skating Plaza that offers an awesome backdrop for photos on the Des Moines River and Downtown Des Moines (DSM). Enjoy a creamy frozen paleta, a Mexican ice pop, or some savory mofongo, a Puerto Rican delicacy, and other delicious foods. Best of all, July 20th is Colombian Independence Day so the party will have Colombian pizzazz. So, come ready to learn how to do folk dances from Cartagena, Medellin and Bogota! 

 

The Cause

The Warren Morrow Latin Music Festival is a project of the Latino Arts Initiative, a state-recognized 501c3. Each year the festival chooses a charity to award a portion of the ticket sales proceeds. This year the chosen charity is |drem|sed|, a youth-led organization focused on teaching entrepreneurship skills and providing mentorship to Latino high school students. Since its inception as a concert in 2012, the event has awarded over $12,000 to local charities like GirlsRockDSM, Latina Leadership Initiative, and Solidarity Microfinance.

The Details

Advance general admission tickets are $35 and $50 for VIP. Tickets can be bought online or you can pay at the door although prices will be a bit higher. Kids 12 and under are free! The festival kicks off at 4PM and we party through midnight. Bring your dancing shoes, chairs and reusable water bottles but leave your pets, outside food, drinks and full-sized backpacks at home.

Downtown Des Moines (DSM) is a growing, vibrant community that offers the energy, sophistication, housing and attractions of a big city. It’s also easy to visit with plentiful andaffordable street and ramp parking options.