Hispanic harmonies (Sept. 5-7 and 12-14)

This weekend (Sept. 5-7) looks lovely for the Greater St. Louis Hispanic Festival at Soldier’s Memorial Park in downtown St. Louis. The three-day event is all about food and music from the Spanish-speaking world (and Portugeuse too; Brazil is well-represented on the stage on Sunday). It starts Friday at 10 a.m., and the workday hours are a good time to visit if you prefer to eat sitting at a table; on the weekends many folks wind up picnicking with their empanadas and tacos. Organizers promise 75 vendor booths with arts, crafts and cuisines from across Central and Latin America. I’m personally looking forward to the promise of Bolivian, Colombian and Uruguayan foods.

The following weekend (Sept. 12-14), the fiesta moves a little further south, to Cherokee Street for a celebration of Mexican Independence Day. (No, it’s not May 5!) The restaurants and shops between Jefferson and Grand have organized live music, street entertainment and art gallery openings between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. all three days. I’ve been meaning to stop down there for a promo poster, since the online info is still scanty, but I promise good eating at the likes of La Vallesana, Garduno’s and Diana’s Bakery.

If you’re not feeling the amor yet, check out these YouTube music videos, guaranteed to make you smile. Watch this one first: “One Semester of Spanish, Spanish Love Song,” then view the sequel, “Second Semester of Spanish, Spanish Love Song.” Go ahead, surf on over — it’s Friday, after all! You deserve to waste a little time!