The volunteer group behind Viva Oviedo!, a free festival celebrating Hispanic heritage, will be back before the Oviedo City Council on Monday, Oct. 12, asking for a formal partnership with the city five days before this year's event.
The festival runs from noon to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, at Center Lake Park in Oviedo, according to the organizers' website. This year's theme is "Salud Es Vida," or "Health Is Life," and the headliner is salsa singer José Alberto "El Canario." Admission is free; a limited number of paid VIP tickets offer reserved seating and a meet-and-greet.
What the council did on Oct. 5
At its Oct. 5 meeting, the council voted unanimously to give the festival a special event permit carrying the same non-cash benefits the city's three signature events receive, Oviedo Community News reported. Those include banner and sign placement, a spot on the city calendar and promotion through city social media and email alerts.
Organizers had also asked that facility rental fees be waived going forward; they said they paid $5,000 in rentals for the 2025 festival.
The three signature events, Cops and Cars for Kids, Taste of Oviedo and Great Day in the Country, each receive about $10,000 for police, road closures and other services. Viva Oviedo! is not seeking that money. Board chairman Abe Lopez said the festival raised nearly $40,000 last year and will have close to $60,000 this year from private sponsors.
City rules require an event to be held at least five times before it can become a signature event. Several council members said the festival meets every other requirement, and changing the rule would take an ordinance amendment with public hearings.
Dispute over the delay
Organizers say they submitted a draft partnership in March. Mayor Megan Sladek said at the meeting she was frustrated to learn the city had held up the request for six months.
