Melissa Rodriguez launched Cultura Festival in 2022 at Huntsville, Alabama’s Orion Amphitheater.
The timing was perfect and so was the fit. Melissa Rodriguez launched Cultura Festival in 2022 at Huntsville, Alabama’s Orion Amphitheater . Same year that world-class music venue opened. “And it was quite a collaborative experience,” Rodriguez says, “because we had a mutual understanding of me wanting to do a Hispanic-focused event and them wanting to understand more of the community here in Huntsville.
And so we brainstormed what that would look like and that’s how Cultura came about.” Sometimes “collaborative” is hollow biz-speak. Like, say, “pivot,” “disrupt” and, the most dreaded of all, “synergy.” Other times, as with Cultura Festival, it’s a real thing done by real people to do cool stuff that wouldn’t exist otherwise. Cultura, which presents Hispanic food, music, dance and more, drew a big crowd for a first-year local festival. Rodriguez estimate attendance at 2,500 to 3,000. By last year’s third edition, attendance had grown to around 5,000, she says.Hispanic food -- so tasty, colorful, festive -- is a big draw for Cultura. This year’s edition boasts fare including Nicaraguan , Venezuelan , Puerto Rican , Guatemalan , Honduran and Mexican .“I think that food in any culture,” Rodriguez says, “is how you’re able to get a little bit of a taste of what it’s like . It was important for me to have representation from different Hispanic countries’ cuisines, because they are so different to one another. And luckily with the years, we’ve had more and more diverse Hispanic food here in Huntsville.” For the uninitiated, she recommends a few dishes as gateway eats at Cultura: nacatamales, large hearty tamales from Honduras; arepas, crispy corn cakes from Venezuela available plain or stuffed; and mofongo, a Puerto Rican made from mashed fried green plantains and other ingredients.Presenting an array of Hispanic music at Cultura was also major for Rodriquez. In addition to salsa and merengue, this year’s vibes include the likes of DJ Dame Luz, who’s spinning three sets: 12 – 1 p.m., 2 - 2:30 and 4:55 – 5:20. “DJ Dame Luz is bringing a lot of that Caribbean touch to the event,” Rodriguez says. “She is Dominican, raised in New York and she resides now in Nashville.” Cultura also hosts a marketplace with artwork, clothing and other handcrafted Hispanic inspired items. “Local vendors and folks that don’t have brick and mortars,” Rodriguez says, “and this is their only way to showcase their art or their products.” Cultura’s partnered with Huntsville Hospital for a “health and wellness village” at the festival. Rodriguez says, “It’s essentially bringing health education, business services and information to the public that perhaps they don’t have access to otherwise.” Dance is repped by the likes local folkloric dance team Alma Latina, performing 1:10 – 1:20 p.m. “They’re awesome,” Rodriquez says. “The ladies dress up in their folkloric skirts, come and represent all the different countries, they’re very prideful and excited to be there. They’ve been participating since year one.” Rodriquez says Sensacion Vallenata, onstage 3:35 – 4:55 p.m., “are Colombian. They play cumbia and a very instrumental, with the accordion players, type of music.” EZ Band, from Houston, is Cultura’s 2025 music headliner. “They cover a lot of Tex-Mex style music,” Rodriguez says, “and they’re going to be singing in both English and Spanish, which I think will be a really cool change for the festival for those that may not speak Spanish.” Cultura’s complete entertainment schedule is atFrom start though, Orion’s also made hosting free community events central to their identity. Events celebrating LGBTQ+ pride. Black photographers. Local female musicians. And, of course, Cultura. Rodriguez puts on the festival with the help of Orion. “They are amazing to work with,” she says, “and they have been so supportive since year one. By this time they already know, oh, here she comes with her crazy ideas. But they’re all for it. And it’s been wonderful to see it grow with such an awesome team.”puts on street festivals and block parties, as well as private functions like weddings and galas. She also DJs around town, spinning tunes at haunts like downtown’s stylishRodriquez was born and raised in Miami. She still has a 786 area code phone number. Her mom, who’s from Honduras and her dad, from Cuba, met in Miami in the ‘80s. “Growing up in Miami,” Rodriguez says, “there’s so much diversity from so many different Latin American countries. It’s kind of everywhere, embedded in the society. Coming to Huntsville, I definitely missed the food and the scene and the people and the warmth. And I just found it important to carry over that tradition.” She had family in the Huntsville area, and Rodriquez moved here about 10 years ago. “I loved the South and had been a couple of times. I loved the food, it was so different and unique to me.” She also met her husband, a linguist, in Huntsville. “It really is such a beautiful place to be a part of,” Rodriguez says. “I never thought I would ever leave Miami, but here I am and proud of it. We are a small city, but we still take pride in who we are here, and we do celebrate different cultures and are happy to welcome others, as they did for me.” For Rodriguez, “the blended-ness” at Cultura is one of her favorite aspects of doing it. “It’s really nice to see people that are not of Hispanic background,” she says. “It is in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, but it’s not just that. It’s for you to come out and try new food and perhaps listen to new music and maybe sign up for some dance lessons. Just really have a beautiful day with your family and friends.” Amid the volatile current U.S. political climate, Rodriquez emphasizes Cultura is a nonpartisan event and not about immigration topics. It’s just a celebration. “And if it’s something that you’re not interested in, then that’s fine too,” she says. “But we’re just here to bring the community together and to celebrate what makes Huntsville so beautiful, which is the diversity. It’s a beautiful time, I suppose, to do something like this.”Southern Living’s ‘Top Barbecue Joints’ include 3 from Alabama: Which ranked highest? If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our
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