Hundreds of people filled the grounds for the 47th annual Cristo Rey Fiesta over the weekend, spending three days dancing, eating and celebrating Hispanic culture in Lansing.
- The 47th annual Cristo Rey Fiesta drew hundreds to Lansing to celebrate Hispanic culture, food, and music.
- Attendee Cynthia Benavides says the event connects her to decades of family and community roots.
- Fiesta Director Guillermo Lopez says preserving Hispanic culture is at the heart of the annual celebration.
WATCH: Cristo Rey Fiesta celebrates Hispanic culture in Lansing
Cristo Rey Fiesta celebrates Hispanic culture in Lansing
For Cynthia Benavides, the event is more than just a celebration. It’s a connection to family and community roots.
“You have some tacos, you have all kinds of food, you have gorditas, you have drinks,” Benavides said.
Benavides’ parents have been part of the Cristo Rey Church community for about six decades and are still volunteering in their 90s.
“My parents, Ben and Hilda Benevides, they’ve been around Cristo Rey for, oh my gosh.. A lot of years,” Benavides said.
This year marked Benavides’ first time back at the fiesta after living out of state for more than two decades. While the event has grown over the years, she says its purpose has remained the same.
“I think I could’ve been maybe 22-years-old when I first attended one and it started off really really small and now it grew,” Benavides said. “I think it’s so important in Lansing to keep the Hispanic culture.”
Fiesta Director Guillermo Lopez says preserving and sharing that culture is at the heart of the celebration.
“…The cultural aspect of the fiesta, the diversity of the fiesta and the openness of Cristo Rey Church,” Lopez said.
While the fiesta also serves as a fundraiser for the church, attendees say its biggest impact is the way it brings people together.
“It just brings the community together. It brings people from the north side, the south side, the east side of Lansing, the west side of Lansing, they all come together under one tent to celebrate,” Benavides said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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