Sponsors, cultural performers sought

**Individuals from the Gurkulam Center for Indian Arts performed at the 2023 Immigrant Heritage Festival.** Photo by Gordon Wolf

Planning is underway for this summer’s Immigrant Heritage Festival, which is now in its third year.

The event will take place from 3 to 8 p.m. on June 29 at Washington Park in Denison.

The Denison chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) created the Immigrant Heritage Festival.

“The festival committee met in January for the first time and we decided we love the theme that we’ve had for the past two years – ‘Immigration is Beautiful,’” said LULAC Denison President Alma Puga.

“We think that’s fitting as our community theme for the festival, because it’s a celebration of the various groups here in Denison. We need to embrace that cultural diversity because immigrants make our communities strong, especially rural communities.”

The festival celebrates immigrants of all eras, she noted.

“We’re embracing the immigrants of today but we’re also embracing the immigrants of yesterday,” she said. “We have large German and Irish communities here, too.”

The purpose of the event is to bring all cultural communities together, Puga said.

“Back in the day, there was Cinco de Mayo and Fiesta del Pueblo that celebrated Latinos, but our goal with the Immigrant Heritage Festival is to embrace all the different groups,” she said. “LULAC’s mission focuses on Latinos, but with this festival we want to include everyone.”

The event is a fundraiser for scholarships LULAC Denison provides annually and for the organization’s endowment fund.

“Last year, we raised almost $9,000,” Puga said. “The festival is one of our biggest fundraisers for the scholarship program.”

The number of scholarships LULAC Denison is able to provide will depend on the amount raised at the festival.

The national LULAC organization provides a 60% match for funds raised locally.

“If we spend $100, they send $160 back,” she said. “I think it’s a great program.”

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LULAC Denison is just beginning the process of seeking sponsors for the Immigrant Heritage Festival.

“Every year, we’re raising more and more money and we have to thank all of our sponsors, of course,” Puga said. “We are working on getting our sponsorship letters out to the businesses.”

The top sponsor levels are Marquee, $3,000, for all rights to the events stage; Champion, $2,000; Advocate, $1,500; Partner, $1,000; and Supporter, $500 and under.

“Of course, a lot of groups are asking for donations this time of year, so we are also asking for in-kind donations for our silent auction,” she said.

New and diverse cultural performers are also being sought.

“Performers from any cultural tradition are welcome to join in,” Puga said. “We are always looking for more. We want people to perform here that are local but we are also reaching out to surrounding communities.”

In past years, performers from Lincoln, Omaha and Storm Lake have made the trek to Denison to join in the festival.

LULAC Denison is also seeking new and returning vendors for the event.

The festival will begin with a parade that will make its way from Uptown Denison to Washington Park.

“We encourage everyone, including businesses, to participate in the parade to show their culture and their heritage,” Puga said.

The organizational effort for the Immigrant Heritage Festival will ramp up over the next few months.

“It takes a lot to do the festival,” she said. “We appreciate anybody who is willing to help out.”

Sponsors, volunteers and individuals or groups interested in performing at the event are encouraged to contact Puga at 712-267-4891 or LULAC.Denison@gmail.com.

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