By Maggie Downs
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Angela Bronzie, from Madisonville, dances with her son Carlo, 1, and her father-in-law Ed Bronzie, visiting from St. Clair, Mich. (Leigh Patton photo) | ZOOM |

Cincinnati's Hispanic community gained a little more recognition Saturday during the Island Fiesta at Coney Island.

The festival featured regional and local Latin bands - Latin Exposure, Tropicoso, Rolando and the Afro-Rican Ensemble, Banda san Bernando and Roberto Ocasio's Latin Jazz Project - as well as food, crafts and jewelry.

"The more festivals we have, the more people learn about our culture, the better," said Rudy Alvarez of Anderson, who helps organize the annual Hispanic Festival in Carthage. "I expect this one to go big.

"There are a lot of Latinos here, and there are so many Americans who enjoy our culture and support us."

Experts say the number of Hispanics in Greater Cincinnati may exceed 50,000 - enough to fill a city the size of Hamilton.

Nationally, there are 38.8 million Hispanics in the United States, according to the latest Census Bureau estimates. The figures, as of July 2002, show a 9.8 percent increase since the 2000 Census.

Debi Stevens hopes more people will recognize this large and varied culture. The Springdale woman, joined by her Cuban husband and their friends, attended Island Fiesta to encourage diversity in the Tristate.

"This is the first Latino festival we've seen in Cincinnati, and we wanted to support it so they continue to do it," Stevens said. "In Cincinnati, there aren't a lot of places that feature a real mixture of Latin cultures. So when we find something like that, we go."

Coney Island plays host to other events that celebrate heritage, like the Celtic and Appalachian festivals.

"This is a great opportunity to explore one more culture," said Tom Rhein, vice president of food operations at the park.

The festival was free, and organizers anticipated a total turnout of 3,000 people.

Venue officials expect the festival to expand exponentially in the future.

"We have a lot more in store for next year," said Mary Schumacher, vice president of sales and marketing.

"But we had to start somewhere."

Colombian native Tulia Jarrett, a resident of East Walnut Hills, said she is looking forward to an even bigger and better festival next year.

"Hopefully, it will teach the community of Cincinnati that we have a large Spanish-speaking population here," she said.

E-mail mdowns@enquirer.com