This holiday season, the Hult Center is giving Eugene a different perspective on Christmas with Fiesta Navidad, a celebration of Christmas in the Hispanic culture.
Tonight’s event will feature mariachi music by Los Camperos de Nati Cano and dancing by Ballet Folklorico Ollin. The groups will celebrate traditions from different areas of Mexico including La Posada, a re-enactment of Mary and Joseph’s pilgrimage to Bethlehem. The evening will conclude with an audience sing-a-long to mariachi versions of Christmas carols.
Carol Brubaker, spokeswoman for the Hult Center, said audience members who are used to just watching shouldn’t hesitate to get involved with the performance.
“Things can be wild and fun and very high energy,” she said.
Brubaker also believes the quality of the mariachi singers will get people involved.
“I’ve never heard a mariachi group sing so strongly,” she said.
Rebeca Urhausen, who is organizing the Plaza Navidad for the event, said that Los Camperos de Nati Cano are the best mariachi group in the United States. Urhausen’s Plaza Navidad will be a simulated mercado (market) with shops and live performances. The plaza will be in the Hult Center lobby and will open at 6 p.m. Urhausen said she has made the plaza open to the public because she believes it is very important to showcase the Hispanic culture involved in this event.
“We don’t have Hispanic entertainment very often in Eugene, especially at the Hult Center,” she said.
Natalie Schoof, programming assistant for the Hult Center, said the Fiesta Navidad has performed before at the Hult Center in 1996 to a sell-out crowd.
“The Nutcracker is great, but people enjoy something different,” she said.
Schoof said the Hult Center tries to showcase many different cultures in its events, such as the Kodo drumming show coming this January.
The Fiesta Navidad will begin at 7 p.m., and tickets are available at either the EMU or Hult Center (682-5000) ticket offices. Prices are $22.50, $18.50 and $15.