Festival celebrates area Hispanic culture

It's rare when a news conference includes the whirling moves of a Flamenco dancer and the taste of savory Cuban sandwiches.

That was the scene Tuesday near the steps of the LeRoy Collins Public Library, as Leon County officials kicked of the 2009 Hispanic Heritage Fest: A Celebration of Culture. Later, the celebration continued with an art exhibit, a poetry reading and more dancing at the Mary Brogan Museum of Art and Science. Events are planned through Saturday.

Officials made it clear that the five-day event has two purposes: to honor Hispanic heritage and to help the U.S. Census get an accurate count next year of Hispanics living in Leon County.

The estimated number of Hispanics in Leon County may be four times the number it was since the last Census count in 2000, said Ed Young Jr., research supervisor for the Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Department.

He said the Hispanic population swelled from 8,407 in 2000 to an estimated 13,190, based on 2008 figures from the Bureau of Economic and Business Research at the University of Florida. That's a significant increase — roughly 57 percent — compared to the county's overall population increase of about 15 percent over the same time, Young said.

An undercount could result in the loss of federal funding for programs that are based on population and income such as medical assistance and unemployment insurance.

Festival celebrates area Hispanic culture - Tallahassee Democrat - September 16, 2009