SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The inaugural "Rancho Del Paso Fiesta" was held at the Robertson Community Center in North Sacramento to celebrate the rich and unique history of the area.
“We are going to be here, we are going to be engaged in the community bring events, bring family friendly, safe events to this community,” said Mina Perez, CEO and President of Vida De Oro Foundation.
Perez says the event comes after their much bigger event, the Sacramento Taco Festival, was canceled due to recent gun violence in the Del Paso Heights area.
“It's organizations like this that brings the community together and make sure it's the most important thing, that kids are in a very safe place safe environment,” said Sacramento Council Member Sean Loloee.
It is the first year for the event, leading to a smaller crowd. But it did attract a few leaders from a Central Valley town called Lindsay.
“I like to show them a lot of what Mina does, so that we could take it to our little city, which is only like 13,500 (people),” said Ramona Caudillo, who is a Lindsay Council Member and also on the Vida De Oro Board.
But Saturday, the triple digit heat was on display as attendees came and went or hunkered in a shade while kids enjoyed a swim at a nearby pool.
“We had already moved it like two times. So, this was the last stop. We said, 'okay, no matter if it rains, snow or hails,' and unfortunately, we got the heat, and the heat came and it is here,” said Perez.
But they made the best of it, as the nonprofit uses these events to raise money to donate supplies and clothes to farmworkers and those throughout the community.
“No matter how hard things can get; you could still work it through even if it's just for a little while,” said Perez.
Perez says the plan is to host the Rancho Del Paso Fiesta next year but are hoping for better weather.
Also, the goal is to host the popular taco festival next year.
