(NEWARK, NJ) -- Mayor Ras J. Baraka, Deputy Mayor for Community Engagement Jacqueline Mercado-Quiles, and the Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery (OVPTR) will host the Annual Latin Festival on Sunday, August 17, 2025 from noon to 10:00pm, on Bloomfield Avenue between Lake Street and Clifton Avenue, in Newark's North Ward.
Three leading Latino merengue singers will headline the event: Milly Quezada, Miriam Cruz, and Gisselle Ortiz Cáceres.
* Milly Quezada, the “Queen of Merengue Music,” a four-time Latin Grammy winner and the Premio Soberano, the highest award in the genre. She has released many popular merengue hits such as “Lo Tengo Todo” and “Entre tu Cuerpo y el Mio.”
* Miriam Cruz, whose four-decade merengue career has earned her numerous awards including Best Merengue Orchestra in 2013 and Merengue of the Year in 2014 at the illustrious Soberano Music Awards in the Dominican Republic.
* Gisselle Ortiz Cáceres, a multi-platinum and gold recording merengue artist and Grammy nominee.
Representatives from Newark’s OVPTR will distribute information, be available for conversation, and connect residents with resources for mental health, employment, relocation, and services for anyone affected by crime or violence.
Vendors are being sought for the festival. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor or participating in or being a vendor at the Latin Festival, please contact Deputy Mayor Mercado-Quiles at the Office of Community Engagement at 973-733-4310.
Coolers and pets are not permitted during the event. Riding bikes or scooters is also prohibited on site, but attendees are encouraged to arrive and depart using the citywide, free ride share app via Newark and Newark Go, the city’s scooter and bike share program. The rented ebikes and scooters can be left on Clifton and Bloomfield Avenues, near the Latin Festival. There will be additional car parking in Branch Brook Park.
For more information on the City of Newark, please visit www.newarknj.gov
