Celebrate diversity and colorful traditions with Dora the
Explorer
n By Katie Niekerk
Lifestyles Editor
On Memorial Day weekend, skip the backyard barbecue and take a trip to Latin America, Africa and the Caribbean: it’s Carnaval San Francisco 2006.
The 28th annual event, happening May 27 and 28 in San Francisco’s Mission District, bills itself as California’s largest annual multicultural celebration and features a diverse collection of music, dance, costumes, food and artistry, including works by Bay Area artists.
The theme of this year’s festival is Sueños de la Niñez, or Land of Childhood Dreams. Dora the Explorer, the popular children’s character from Nick Jr., will lead the Grand Parade on May 28.
Encouraging children to become active in the arts and learn more about their respective cultures was the vision behind this year’s Carnaval, said Roberto Hernandez. As Carnaval San Francisco’s artistic director, Hernandez comes up with a new idea for the celebration’s theme each year.
“I had a vision about six years ago to go into the schools and work on feeding the souls and spirits of the minds of children of their own culture,” Hernandez said. “For this year’s theme, I thought, what a beautiful way to honor our children – by honoring our traditions.”
Hernandez was determined to get Dora the Explorer to be the grand marshal not only because she’s so popular with children and adults, but also because she’s seen in 71 different countries and speaks 16 different languages, Hernandez said, thus representing cultural diversity.
This year’s Carnaval King is Luis Fernando, a 36-year-old East Bay resident who was born in Sinaloa, Mexico. Oakland resident Monique Perry, 31, is this year’s Carnaval Queen. Both said they’re honored and inspired to be part of the event.
“It’s exciting, and I get to represent something that I really love – music and dance,” Perry said. “What I like about (Carnaval) is being able to share this tremendous energy with so many people.”
Hernandez, who has been involved with Carnaval San Francisco for each of its 28 years, said he’s excited about the event’s growth into an international celebration.
“When we first started, we were all just a bunch of musicians and dancers. … Only five people showed up,” he said. “In the second year, 5,000 people showed up, all by word of mouth and publicity. Now, 400,000 people come. (Carnaval San Francisco) is an opportunity to come and learn about Latino, Caribbean and African cultures.”
