Celebrate Latin American Culture At Cedar City’s Spring Fiesta

Cedar City’s calendar is packed with community events, and next up is the vibrant Spring Fiesta, scheduled for Friday, May 2, from 5 to 10 p.m. at the Johnson Center. The free event is a celebration of Latin American culture and one of the city’s largest annual gatherings, drawing thousands of attendees.

“It’s just a great time,” said Events Director Brand Burk during a recent interview on KSUB’s Big Picture Morning Show. “We’ve drawn typically between 3,000 and 4,000 people for this event.” The evening will include live music, Lotería (a traditional Mexican game similar to bingo), a beer garden provided by the Warehouse Bar and Grill, food trucks, vendors, bounce houses, face painting, and yard games.

While the timing near Cinco de Mayo is no coincidence, Burk noted the celebration has evolved. “We’ve kind of gotten away from calling it a Cinco de Mayo event… The Spring Fiesta is just celebrating all Latin American cultures,” he said.

The Cedar City Events Department, which Burk leads with two part-time assistants, coordinates about six major events annually. He emphasized that volunteers play a crucial role. “Each one of our events is made up of a volunteer committee… and the things that we do here wouldn’t happen without the hundreds of volunteers that pitch in,” he said. Volunteers typically receive a T-shirt, a meal, and plenty of appreciation. Those interested in helping or becoming a vendor can sign up at cedarcityutgov/springfiesta.

It's All About Community

For Burk, the events go beyond entertainment. “Part of it is just community engagement,” he explained. “And the other part is helping out our local businesses… especially during spring and winter when they tend to struggle.”

Although precise economic impact figures are hard to pin down, Burk noted the city’s half marathon drew about 900 runners last year, with 60% from out of town. “They stay in our hotels, they eat in our restaurants… that’s a few hundred people putting extra money into the pockets of the folks that live here,” he said.

With community spirit and local business support at its core, Spring Fiesta promises to be a highlight of the season.

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You can listen to our whole discussion with Brandon Burk in the podcast below.