De La Ghetto concludes Latine Heritage Month in rousing Calentón Music Fest
De La Ghetto performed as part of the third annual Calentón festival. Though not all attendees had Latine heritage, they still appreciated the music and culture, students said. Christian Calabrese | Asst. Photo Editor
Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our newsletter here.
Music blasted through the speakers as DJ Exxtra stirred up the dance floor. Students piled in enthusiastically, heading straight to the center of the auditorium, the snack stand or the corner photo booth.
“Whenever we hear Spanish music, we all go crazy,” said Sara Fullana, president of Las Naranjas.
On Sunday evening, Las Naranjas collaborated with the Syracuse University’s Student Government Association and University Union for their third annual Calentón festival. The event celebrated the end of Latine Heritage Month and honored Latin culture with DJ Exxtra, dance performances, and Puerto Rican artist De La Ghetto.
Alongside the green and purple illuminated stage, tables and railings were decorated with glow-in-the-dark fairy lights. Las Naranjas and UU highlighted some of their past events and tabled with free chips, candy, water bottles, T-shirts, and tote bags.
“Calentón is an event to give a platform to Latin music, as we have a pretty big Latin culture within Syracuse,” said Lachlan Sartison, the co-public relations director of UU.
After hosting the artist last year, Calentón featured De La Ghetto again for this year’s celebration. Students cheered and waved their hands as De La Ghetto transitioned from song to song. He riled up the audience with his dancing and his poses for the cameras throughout his performance.
Students Chloe Woodard and Valeria Lopez said they enjoyed the music at Calentón. They agreed that the music and sense of community were their favorite parts of the night. Although they aren’t a part of Las Naranjas and were just supporting their friends participating in the event, they were able to enjoy the music and culture through Calentón.
“I love the music,” Lopez said. “And I love the free stuff.”
Following DJ Exxtra, the stage opened up to Raíces Dance Troupe, a dance organization that aims to spread Latin culture through dance. A few dancers initiated the performance before transitioning into the main, full-group performance. The troupe took over the stage in hip-hop outfits and engaged with the crowd.
“It’s just funny, we just have a lot of fun,” Ana Lucia Armas Mercedes, a freshman on Raíces, said.
DJ Exxtra brought reggaeton beats to Calentón Music Fest on Sunday night. Neon lights added to the event’s environment. Christian Calabrese | Asst. Photo Editor
Sartison explained that UU wanted Latin culture to be well represented for the community at SU, which is why they organized this collaboration.
Las Naranjas, the official Spanish club of SU, returned to campus 3 years ago with just an executive board. Since then, they’ve partnered with other student-run and multicultural organizations to expand their student engagement within the Spanish community, Fullana said.
Through the club’s media influence and collaborations, more students became aware and involved, Fullana said, although all students are welcome to join and learn more about the culture.
Before this event, Las Naranjas also collaborated with Letters of Love at SU and hosted sit-ins where students could learn Spanish and the culture. Las Naranjas is a low-commitment club, where students are welcome and encouraged to attend any event they host, Fullana said.
Latin culture loves to listen to music, dance, and share, Fullana said. Listening to music outside the home fosters connection within the Latin community.
“Calentón brings a sense of community, and it’s the best way to end the month — with a big event and good artists,” Fullana said.
