The Latin Festival finishes off this weekend at Wascana Park, in the shadow of the Legislature. It’s an interesting juxtaposition: Saskatchewan governance was built on the traditional stiff-up-lip of the British Edwardians, as formal and as stiff as a Royal funeral. A Latin festival means music, and dancing, and fun — and a loosening of those social mores (not to mention a beer garden.)

Their website is here.

I don’t know much about the performers, in particular, or about Latin music in general. To me, it seems to be a strange thing that peoples from different nations in Central and South America — each with their own histories and cultures — get lumped together in the same genre (Going up to a Chilean and cheering for Brazil at the most recent World Cup would have been worth your life). But what they do share is a common language — for the most part, unlike the rest of Central and South America, Brazil’s first language is not Spanish but Portuguese — and the desire to have a good time.

As my wife said as we left the area Saturday night, “this is a good lead into the Regina Folk Festival. It sets the party mood.” And in this day (especially during the Rider’s loss last night) Reginanas need all the reasons to party they can get. Go: you won’t be disappointed, even if you can’t dance.