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Submission: Eduardo Arauz Madrigal
The Milwaukee/Juigalpa Partners helped celebrate the 40th anniversary of the organization Saturday, August 14 with Fiesta Nicaragua. The open-air street festival, held outside of Caroline's Jazz Club in Milwaukee, featured live Latin music from Bahia and Caché and live jazz from the Paul Spencer Band. The good music and fine weather were accompanied by authentic Nicaraguan food, which included a savory rice dish, a tasty yucca dish, and the popular Nicatamal, a Nicaraguan style tamale wrapped in a banana leaf. Much of the food was donated by El Rey, a local Latin American grocery store, and prepared by Isabel Lacayo, a resident of Milwaukee and native of Nicaragua.
Lynda Pracht and Lilliana Cisnero sold Nicaraguan crafts in the pleasant afternoon sun while people danced, ate, and drank to Latin music, including native Nicaraguan music provided by D.J. and Milwaukee/Juigalpa Partners member Eduardo Madrigal. One could hardly avoid witnessing the excitement generated among the Nicaraguan ex-patriot community dancing to the tunes from the ol' sod. One participant said it was like being back in Nicaragua.
Fiesta Nicaragua attracted people from all over the state. In addition to raising awareness about W/NP, the celebration also helped raise funds for the organization. The fiesta created a lot of enthusiasm and plans for next year's fiesta are already under way. Many thanks to Caroline Rubitski, owner of Caroline's Jazz Club, and her staff for organizing the event, finding sponsors, and staffing booths. Other sponsors included Sprecher Brewing Company, Lakefront Brewery, Capital Beer Distributors, Don Quijote Restaurant, Corona Beer, Alterra Coffee, Supermercados El Rey, Kinkos, Home Depot, Beer Capital Distributing, AM 540: The Word's "Sabor Latino" radio show, Clark's Liquor, Adam Mata, and Ald. Witkoviak's office.
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