Some festivals start big. This one didn't. Over 20 years ago, a Hillsboro business owner named Jaime Miranda—who operates M&M Marketplace in downtown Hillsboro, a longtime staple of the local Latino community—started what would become the first large-scale community festival in Hillsboro. It began on the street. This year, it filled a stadium where thousands of people came to celebrate the Latino Community Festival, and Ziply Fiber was proud to be part of it.
A festival built by its community
What makes this festival work is what's always made it work: the people who show up to sell, perform and celebrate. Food vendors make up the majority of the festival’s business—many of whom got their start at swap meets before growing into full brick-and-mortar operations. Going from folding table to storefront, says something about what this event has meant for local entrepreneurs over two decades.
Beyond the food, the festival brought boxing matches, musical acts from across Latin America and closer to home, and quinceañera competitions that drew crowds of their own. It's a full day built around culture, celebration and community pride, organized by the Washington County Chamber of Commerce and supported by the Latino Business Advisory Council.
"We're excited to be back at the Latino Community Festival and celebrate the incredible culture, traditions and people that make Hillsboro such a vibrant community," said Kevin Guillen, Community Development Manager for Ziply Fiber. "Building meaningful relationships starts with showing up, listening and supporting the communities we serve, and we're honored to be part of this event once again."
Familiar ground for a fast-growing sport
This year's futsal tournament—a fast-paced version of soccer played on a hard court with a heavier, low-bounce ball—brought youth teams from across the region to Hillsboro Ballpark, the longtime home field of the Hillsboro Hops before their move to the team's new stadium. Ziply Fiber returned as the official sponsor of the futsal tournament, continuing a partnership that reflects what this event is really about: investing in the next generation as much as celebrating the current one.
Whether it's the food vendors turning their community following into a business, or a youth soccer player getting to compete on a real stadium field, the result is the same: a community that keeps growing. And we're proud to help power that growth with fast, reliable fiber internet.
“Ziply Fiber has been a valued partner of the Latino Community Festival, and we’re thrilled to have them once again support the Futsal Tournament. Their investment helps create an event where thousands gather to celebrate culture, build connections and strengthen our community,” said Jen Little, Vice President of Public Affairs at the Washington County Chamber of Commerce.
Twenty years in, the Latino Community Festival has grown from a street gathering into one of the region's largest celebrations of Latino culture and community, and Ziply Fiber is honored to keep showing up for it, year after year.
