11 Years of Drumming at Tampa Bay's Heritage Park
The Tampa Bomba and Plena Festival drew families to Land O’ Lakes to celebrate traditional music and food.
By Samir Doyle ·
Eleven years have passed since the first drums sounded at the Tampa Bomba and Plena Festival. The 11th edition of the event took place on Oct. 18 at Heritage Park in Land O’ Lakes. The gathering focused on the music, food, and crafts of Puerto Rico.
The festival began with a kickoff event on Oct. 16 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa. Manny Medina, the marketing manager for the Latin Market at that location, noted the value of the partnership. "It is an honor to collaborate," Medina said. He explained that the company aims to support activities that reflect the cultural values of the Hispanic community.
Alberto Delgado Santiago created the festival to preserve Puerto Rican heritage. The nonprofit organization uses bomba and plena, two traditional music forms, to connect different generations. Delgado Santiago said the event helps share these traditions with new audiences while recognizing the contributions of Hispanics to the Tampa Bay area. "This year marks 11 years of the festival, and we are very happy with the support we’ve received from the Hispanic community in Tampa Bay," he stated.
Delgado Santiago credited the hotel and casino for helping raise the profile of the celebration. He said the partnership connected organizers with media outlets to spread a message of pride and perseverance. "We Latinos are very powerful, and we have a voice," he said. He urged attendees to move forward fearlessly and celebrate their identity with the same joy found in Puerto Rican music.
Luis Miranda attended the festival to reconnect with the sounds of his homeland. Miranda grew up in New Jersey and viewed the event as a way to share those sounds with other community members. He described bomba and plena as expressions that link Puerto Ricans to their history, even when they live far from the island. "This is traditional music, music that touches the heart because it is part of our homeland, our culture," he said.
Miranda directed his message to Hispanic immigrants. He encouraged them to maintain a connection to their culture, regardless of where they were born or where they live now. The festival provided a space for these traditions to remain active in the local community.
