Lección Siete: Los Festivales

The Chicago Latino Film Festival, which was founded in 1984, showcases the work of filmmakers from Latin America, Portugal, Spain, and the U.S. For two weeks in April, tens of thousands of movie fans and aficionados flock to the Windy City to view more than 100 films in genres such as fiction, animation, documentary, and shorts.


Each March, Miami's Little Havana neighborhood is the site of the Calle Ocho Carnaval, a bustling street party filled with dancing, music, festive costumes, and ethnic cuisine. Started in 1978 as a celebration of South Florida's Cuban culture, the event now features food and entertainment from across the Latin world. Domino, a popular game in Cuba, is a particular draw. A televised tournament is held at the carnival each year.

In 2007, the first Ibero American Guitar Festival was held in Washington, D.C. The three-day concert staged at the National Museum for the American Indian highlights the diverse heritages and rhythms of guitar musicians from across the Americas and the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal). Guitar virtuosos strum flamenco, classical, folk, and jazz compositions and pay homage to guitar legends of the past.

The Latin Grammy Awards, the Latino version of the Grammys, is the country's biggest awards show for Spanish-and Portuguese-speaking musicians. Since 2000, industry professionals have nominated artists for awards in 49 categories including Best Latin Rock Album, Best Merengue Album, Best Norteño Band, and Best Brazilian Artist. The competition culminates in an awards show broadcast on national television.