By Erin Vig

Organizers hope that the inaugural Dream Festival / El Festival del Sueño, a primary fundraiser for the Bacaanda Foundation / El Sueño Zapoteco, is the first of many in the years to come.

The Dream Festival is sure to provide an entertaining afternoon and evening for all ages and promises activities for everyone, including food and beverages (both local and expat favorites), artisan vendor booths, local & regional dance groups, and a children’s’ activity center organized by the rural teachers and their students.

In addition to having multiple raffles with some incredible prizes, the Festival premieres the second dunk tank in all of Mexico (see story in this issue). This highly anticipated aspect of the festival provides an opportunity for attendees to try and dunk local and regional ‘well-known’ personalities. Rumor has it that there is a possibility that the ‘dunkers’ may get as super soaked as the ‘dunkees’!

A little liquid courage will be also available for purchase, especially for those who wish to embrace their inner exhibitionist and brave potential public humiliation for the opportunity to blow off steam by participating in some Karaoke between 8 and 9 PM.

The Festival takes place on Saturday, January 16 from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM in Guelaguetza Park (next to Marina Park Plaza). Admission is $100 pesos (12 and under free when accompanied by an adult) with tickets available in advance at Marina Park Plaza, West Park Cafe, Mision de Los Arcos, Bioamigables de Huatulco, and the Zapotec weaving shop in Ocean Park condos (“Freddy’s shop”).

Advance-purchased tickets are eligible for a special Early Bird Drawing; all tickets, both advance and at the door, are eligible for the Grand Prize Drawing.

The Bacaanda Foundation / El Sueño Zapoteco, in conjunction with the National Council for Education Development (Consejo Nacional de Fomento Educativo, CONAFE), provides expertise, funds, and organizational assistance to local communities in building and improving the 120 rural schools that serve around 1000 children in the CONAFE region surrounding Santa Maria Huatulco. For this task they depend on fundraising activities, donations, and proceeds from El Sueño Zapoteco Crafts Workshop located in Local 4, in Punta 1 of the Centro Comercial in Tangolunda. El Sueño Zapoteco is a Mexican nonprofit organization (asociación civil) and the Bacaanda Foundation is a U.S. 501(c)(3) non-profit; both provide receipts for tax-deductible contributions. E-mail: bacaandafoundation@hotmail.com