Latino Nature Fest Recap

Latino Nature Fest (formerly Latino Nature Conservation Week) was celebrated by over 750 people with vibrant displays of arts, nature, and cultural performances and activities on July 20th at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Education and Visitor's Center. Activities coordinated by Indigenous Roots featured performances by Kuyayki Peru and Alma Andina, as well as alebrijes, plant art, mini-piñatas and more.

Artist Erin Lavelle was at the Creative Placemaking table, inviting visitors to taste native flowers, distributing pocket-sized ‘Field Notes’ booklets and pencils, and having casual conversations about the Refuge as a "Third Place" to be featured in her forthcoming field guide. The idea of tasting a flower intrigued some and surprised others.