Fiesta Latina 2026

The Yale Peabody Museum and Junta for Progressive Action will host ¡Fiesta Latina!, a celebration of Hispanic cultures that features music and other community events. 

The celebration will take place September 26 and 27. Junta for Progressive Action will host programming at 169 Grand Avenue, New Haven from noon to 5 pm on Saturday, September 26. There will be a day of performances held at the Peabody Museum, located at 170 Whitney Avenue, on Sunday, September 27 from noon to 5 pm. Programs will be free, community-led, and accessible to participants of all ages. 

The festivities at the Peabody will begin at noon on September 27 with a performance by the Spanish Community of Wallingford’s youth mariachi band and dance troupe, an organization committed to preserving the cultural heritage of Mexico, at noon. Proyecto Cimmaron, a  Puerto Rican Bomba music and dance performance group, will perform at 1:30 pm. The show will conclude with Orquesta Afinke, a salsa band based in Stratford, CT, performing at 3:00 pm. 

Spanish-speaking scientists will be on hand throughout the museum to talk about how their research contributes to a deeper understanding of the world around us. In addition, Spanish-language family workshops will take place throughout the day, offering parents and children ages 5 to 10 an opportunity for STEM games and activities. Storytelling performances will take place throughout the afternoon starting at 2 pm. 

Food will be available for purchase from the Brewberry Café, Cinco de Mayo, and El Taco Dorado food trucks.  

The event is a collaboration between the Peabody Museum and Junta for Progressive Action. Support for Fiesta Latina is provided by the Fidelity CHET 529 College Savings Program, by the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund, and by the Council on Latin American & Iberian Studies at the Yale MacMillan Center. 

MUSICAL PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE 

12:00-1:00 pm- Spanish Community of Wallingford Youth Mariachi Band and Dancers 

1:30-2:15 pm- Proyecto Cimarron 

3:00-5:00 pm- Orquesta Afinke 

PERFORMER BIOS 

The Spanish Community of Wallingford (SCOW) 

At SCOW, community is our strength. SCOW supports the Wallingford community with programs exemplifying our core values: guidance, education, and sharing. 

• Our social service referrals guide people to find the services offered to everyone in the Wallingford community. 

• Our educational programs help children take full advantage of their educational opportunities and help adults gain the confidence to fully participate in U.S. society. 

• Our music and dance programs enable all Latinos to share the rich and varied cultures of their native countries, adding to the mosaic of American culture. Conversely, these programs help the children of the Hispanic community to retain the cultural heritage their parents brought with them. 

Proyecto Cimarron is a Puerto Rican bomba performance group based in New Haven, CT.  The members were brought together by their love of Afro-Latino culture, a shared commitment to  preserving and sharing bomba rhythms, and utilizing bomba as a gateway for advancing social justice. 

AFINKE (pronounced ah-‘fin-keh and correctly spelled “afinque”) is a traditional Spanish slang term used amongst percussionist and musicians in general to denote a group who plays together as a team (‘nsync). Our 8-piece musical group is comprised of seasoned musicians, who after touring with many notables, decided to come together to share their talents of entertaining audiences and educating them about our Latin musical genre. In addition, we wanted to reach our youth and teach them about our cultural heritage through our music. Our band is highlighted not only for our musicality but also for our showmanship.