Latino Expo brings music, food, dance, free checkups to EdCC

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, August 9, 2016

LYNNWOOD — The 13th annual Latino Expo, a vibrant celebration of Latin American culture, is scheduled for Saturday on the Edmonds Community College campus.

The event is put on by the Latino Educational Training Institute with help from the college, the city of Lynnwood and other organizations.

The institute is a nonprofit focused on providing resources and support for bilingual and Spanish-speaking people in Washington state. It offers leadership programs, high school completion courses, financial advice and community service opportunities. Over the past two years, the group has added new classes, a new classroom and more public activities during events such as the annual expo.

The Latino Expo is built around the goal of “celebrating community and diversity,” according to event organizers. Attending the expo is free. Anyone can come.

The expo starts Saturday at noon and ends at 6 p.m. It’s in the parking lot near Snohomish Hall on the Edmonds Community College Campus, at 200th St. and 68th Ave. W. in Lynnwood.

Free health check-ups and half-hour work safety training sessions are some of the highlights. Plans include Zumba classes, Latin American cuisine, a karaoke contest and a traditional dress contest for children. Raffles and give-aways are sprinkled throughout the event’s agenda.

Last year, about 500 people attended the event, spokeswoman Karla Rios said in an email. She hopes to see twice as many people at this year’s expo, particularly for the free health exams and safety classes.

The expo is an exciting multicultural event, institute founder and executive director Rosario Reyes said in a news release.

“It is an opportunity for the community to network with local businesses and take advantage of many resources,” she said.

For more information about the event or the institute, go online to letiwa.org.

Kari Bray: 425-339-3439; kbray@heraldnet.com.