Expect a fun-filled, one-day event featuring salsa music and dance, chips (from Chip Peddler) and salsa and other great food, vendor booths, demonstrations and mini-workshops, and a special area for kids to create and have their own fun.

When & Where:
Saturday, September 17
11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.:
on 9th Street between 3rd and 4th Avenues and inside St. Mark's Episcopal Church
$5 at the gate. Kids 12 and under FREE!
4:00 p.m. to ??:
Moe's Starlight Lounge,
937 Main Ave.
$5 donation requested
at the door

Who:
The festival is hosted by
3rd Ave. Arts,
a 501(c)(3) non-profit, and
St. Mark's Episcopal Church.

Support the Festival

Your tax-deductible donation to the Durango Salsa Festival will go to support the philanthropic work of the festival. Please make checks payable to 3rd Ave. Arts and note "Salsa Festival." To donate online, click the "Donate" button below to make a donation via PayPal. Thank you for your support.

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Three organizations were selected that meet these criteria: Del Alma, Take the Lead, and the Durango Adult Education Center. We are also pleased to have the Unity Project of La Plata County on board. Read more about these fine non-profits below.

The mission of Del Alma is to promote educational excellence, artistic expression, and cultural competence for multicultural youth through

• Academic Success by providing a safe, nurturing learning environment and one-on-one help with honework and learning skills;
  
  
• Cultural Competency as students learn to understand and appreciate the value and contributions all cultures make to the community and the world in which we live;
  
  
• Sense of Self as students feel valued, experience success, and develop confidence to make positive life choices.

Del Alma's programs include:

• Alma After School promotes literacy and helps develop students' understanding of themselves, their families and community through engaging lessons and activities;
  
  
• Ballet Folklorico de Durango offers children an opportunity to study and perform traditional Mexican folkloric dance and pro-Columbian concheros.
  
  
• Prejudice Elimination Action Team members develop knowledge and skills to become leaders in creating respectful, inclusive schools and communities;
  
  
• Cinco de Mayo celebrates our area's rich cultural heritage witha fiesta featuring family games and activities.

Founded in 2005 by Suzy DiSanto, Take the Lead is a non-profit 501(c)(3) ballroom dance program geared toward upper elementary, middle school and high school students in Durango, Colorado. Take the Lead is not only about teaching ballroom dancing; dance is used as a tool for getting the children to break down social barriers, learn about honor and respect, treat others carefully, improve self-confidence, communicate and cooperate, and accept others even if they are different. Our mission is to build social awareness, confidence and self-esteem in children through the practice of social dance. This program thrives on the power and passion of dance to educate and enhance the cultural life of our community. Take the Lead offers three programs:

• Dance in the Classroom, a ballroom dance instruction program in the schools
  
  
• The All-School Dance-Off, an all-school dance competition, and
  
  
• Bravo, a kids' ballroom dance company

The Durango Adult Education Center's mission is to promote lifelong learning programs for adults and families that strengthen literacy skills and encourage personal development.

Learn more at the Durango Adult Education Center's website.

The Unity Project is a multi-cultural community-building collaborative that nurtures our healthy, vibrant and diverse community. Unlike other community-building efforts, The Unity Project is an inclusive, non-partisan effort that uses education, collaboration, service coordination and celebration to create a richer community where all individuals have the opportunity to achieve their potential.

Mission. Our commitment is to promote intercultural understanding and unity by creating spaces where we interact, share and learn from our neighbors.

Our Vision. The La Plata Unity Project is a collaboration of various organizations and interested community members who have received a four-year grant from The Colorado Trust. We will use this grant to foster healthy communities in La Plata County by encouraging understanding and acceptance of cultural diversity. We are not about immigration reform, however, we would like to include immigrants in our efforts.

Our goal is to:

• Identify the needs of diverse groups within our community
  
• Foster intercultural dialogue
  
• Identify and implement action steps to create a healthy community for all people.

Learn more at the Unity Project's website.

For details, please e-mail C. Scott Hagler, Festival Director, or call him at (970) 247-1129 ext. 14.