Crowd gets in step with Salsa Tuesday
Hips were swaying in Beaufort on Tuesday night, as couples cha-chaed back and forth to the beat of Latino favorites at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park.
Salsa Tuesday made its debut at the 59th Annual Beaufort Water Festival.
Marcia Mitchell of Revolution Ballroom, a Beaufort dance studio, started the night by teaching basic salsa moves to a crowd of about 300.
Son Del Coqui, a Latino band based in Savannah, provided musical entertainment. The 10-member band featured maracas, bongos, a trombone and cowbell.
Salsa Tuesday replaced the Tropical Tuesday events held in previous years. Volunteers wore bright orange polos in honor of the occasion.
"Seeing an organization acknowledging this community for the first time with Salsa Tuesday is a milestone," said Eric Esquivel, publisher of La Isla, a Hilton Head Island Latina magazine. "To the Latinos, it's a sign of welcome."
HOPE YOU DIDN'T MISS
Son Del Coqui, the entertainment at Salsa Tuesday. The group made up of Puerto Rico natives rocked Waterfront Park.
BETTER NOT MISS
Talented locals will step into the spotlight during the annual talent show Wednesday night. Gates open at 6 p.m., and the show begins at 7 p.m. Admission is $10.
VOLUNTEER OF THE DAY
He was at the park until 3 a.m. Saturday, picking up cups and tearing down the stage where country star Craig Morgan performed.
Then he returned Sunday morning at 7 to set up bounce houses for Children's Day.
As a parks director for the Water Festival, Dusty Vickers is part of the crew responsible for setting up, tearing down and maintaining the festival's landscape.
"We do the grunt work of the festival," Vickers said. "A lot of people don't realize how much goes on behind the scenes. The park doesn't get clean on its own."
Vickers has been involved with the festival for the past four years as a supervisor for The Greenery landscaping, a festival sponsor, but this is his first year volunteering.
"I went from doing just little bits and pieces here and there to being involved in the whole thing," Vickers said. "It's amazing getting to be a part of the Water Festival family."
SOCIALLY SPEAKING
#WhaleBranchWrestling working 1st concession stand at #BeaufortH2OFest Salsa Tuesday! -- Anthony Vicuna, @SCMarine, on Twitter
Related content:
- Beaufort Water Festival lives up to its name with Monday storm
- Children's Day at Water Festival full of fun, games despite rain
- Craig Morgan performs during the 59th Annual Beaufort Water Festival
This story was originally published July 22, 2014 at 9:36 PM with the headline "Crowd gets in step with Salsa Tuesday."