Hot Stuff in Berkeley: Farmers’ Market Salsa Festival, May 21

Enjoy a full day of environmental and cultural experiences with music, dance, food, beverage, and SALSA! at Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Park in downtown Berkeley on May 21, 10am–5pm. Visit the festival event site for more or stay here for a moment to read the highlights below.

• Local Chefs demonstrate and sample out their favorite salsa recipes using fresh ingredients from the adjacent farmers’ market.
• Plus, you’ll find a full array of locally sourced, sustainably made food and beverage offering all in tandem with the farmers’ market.
• Try a mojito or nojito made with fresh mint and limes by female-founded, female-owned Montanya Distillers or some craft beers and wines made by local sustainable wineries and breweries, and don’t miss the People Powered Smoothies, made by blending fruit from the farmers’ market in a blender powered by pedaling a bike!             
• Live music all day long with the Latin Jazz Youth Ensemble San Francisco, Berkeley High School Youth Ensemble, Afro-Cuban Afro Peruvian jazz keyboardist Erick Peralta with his band, and Grammy Award Winner Christian Pepin y su Orquesta Bembe. And between live music sets, professional Latin dancer Rebecca Galindo performs and demonstrates basic salsa steps for crowd dancing.
• Join the Drum Circle as headliner Grammy Award winning percussionist Christian Pepin demonstrates Latin drumming technique and shares the origins of salsa music from Africa to Cuba and Puerto Rico to the United States.
• Kids’ activities happen in the Kids Eco-Zone with bubble blowing, face painting, creative crafts to take home, and more fun activities.
• Don’t miss the Compton the Compost puppet show, which invites you to talk to a compost pile and ask it questions as you learn why composting is important.
• Everyone loves Sing-Alongs and Dancing with Mariella’s Bi-lingual Music Time and Storytime with the Berkeley Public Library.
• Check out the Take Home Bee Houses by Pollinator Posse and Clay Mask Making with artist Roberta Almerez.
• The Fashion Trashion Selfie Booth is a crowd favorite Meet Haute Trash owner Kathi Griffis, who comes all the way from Nevada City with a host of “haute couture” made of upcycled fashion. Try on a selection from her amazing fashion collection and take a selfie to send to friends!
• Stroll the park and shop for sustainable jewelry, pottery, textiles, and more from local artisans. Watch as artist Judith Shonebaum demonstrates how to make beautiful household items from upcycled materials.