MVLA Celebrates Culture and Community at Puerto Rican Constitution Day Festival
ROME, N.Y. — The Mohawk Valley Latino Association (MVLA) welcomed hundreds of residents and visitors to Bellamy Harbor Park on Saturday for its Fourth Annual Puerto Rican Constitution Day Festival, celebrating Puerto Rican heritage and the rich diversity of Latino cultures through music, dance, traditional food, and community service.
The annual festival commemorates the adoption of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in 1952 while providing an opportunity for families throughout the Mohawk Valley to celebrate culture, heritage, and community.
“We designed this event as a cultural celebration for the city,” said organizer Feidy Miner. “There is a large Latino community here, and there are not enough diversity-focused events for us. The Constitution of Puerto Rico is celebrated in July, and we thought, why not celebrate our constitution and turn it into a festival? It is a day for the whole community and families to enjoy with music.”
The festival featured performances by La Crema of Buffalo, DJ Yui of Utica, and the youth dance group Ritmo Caribeño, who performed traditional Puerto Rican dances. Throughout the day, attendees enjoyed live entertainment while learning more about the history and traditions of Puerto Rico and other Latin American cultures.
Traditional Puerto Rican cuisine was a centerpiece of the celebration. Representatives from Templo Cristiano Gloria Celestial of Rome served authentic foods commonly found at Puerto Rican cuchifritos, including empanadas, bacalaítos, and alcapurrias rellenas.
“We represent our church and our culture, Puerto Rico,” organizers explained. “We bring the traditional food that you would find at a cuchifrito in Puerto Rico. These are the foods we always look for because they connect us to our heritage and traditions.”
The festival also showcased the growing presence of Colombian culture in Central New York. Colombia MKT, represented by Miguel, Charles, and fellow team members, offered attendees an opportunity to experience traditional Colombian cuisine.
“There aren’t many Colombian restaurants in this area, despite there being a large Colombian community,” said Miguel of Colombia MKT. “We’re here to bring Colombian food to the community, enriching it with our food, traditions, and culture. We want people to try Colombian food, enjoy its flavors and tastes, and be happy.”
In addition to celebrating Latino culture, MVLA used the event to support humanitarian relief efforts for families in Venezuela. Sonia Martinez, Executive Director of the Mohawk Valley Latino Association, organized a collection drive for canned goods, bottled water, hygiene products, and other essential supplies to assist Venezuelans facing ongoing humanitarian challenges.
“MVLA is proud to bring people together not only to celebrate our cultures, but also to show compassion and support for our brothers and sisters in Venezuela,” Martinez said.
The organization collected donations throughout the event and transferred the supplies to a volunteer humanitarian organization that departed the following day to transport the aid directly to Venezuela.
Several elected officials attended the celebration, including New York State Senator Joseph Griffo, who presented a proclamation recognizing the event and its contributions to the community. Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon and Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol also attended and participated in the festivities.
The Fourth Annual Puerto Rican Constitution Day Festival continues to grow as one of the Mohawk Valley’s premier multicultural celebrations, bringing together residents from diverse backgrounds to celebrate heritage, family, service, and community.
For more information about the Mohawk Valley Latino Association, visit www.mvlautica.org. MVLA’s next major cultural celebration is the 20th Annual Latino American Festival, scheduled for Sunday, August 23, 2026, from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Hanna Park in Utica.
