MIAMI (WSVN) - Carnaval season will be approaching soon, celebrating Miami’s food, music and art, and the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana announced Fonseca will be headlining Carnaval Miami 2019.
The five-time Grammy Award winning Colombian artist Fonseca was announced as the King of Carnaval Miami on Wednesday.
“We’re so honored this year to have the first Colombian king, Fonseca,” said Jesus Lebena, president of the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana.
Fonseca is making history as the first Colombian to be given the title.
“The Colombian community in Miami is so big, and we really love, and we really appreciate that the city has opened its doors since always for the Colombian people,” said Fonseca, “so for me it’s a big honor, it’s a big responsibility. We have to have fun, that’s what it’s all about, so I’m happy to be the king of the Carnaval 2019.”
This year’s poster for the event, created by Alejandra Estefania was also revealed on Wednesday.
She is the first Ecuadorian artist to make the poster for the celebration.
“The theme is the queen of Carnaval, and what she is is a strong Latina who is representing and showcasing the culture all around her and in her,” said Estefania, describing her poster art, “and so I have different elements in her hat where she’s carrying the food, the music, the dominoes, the beach, everything she is, everything that is Carnaval.”
The annual Calle Ocho festival is one of the Kiwanis Club’s biggest events of the season, and this year it will be taking place on March 10.
This year’s festival will feature a competition for the best Cuban sandwich in Miami.
“For a couple of years, we’ve had Croquetazo, which is who can eat the most croquettas. This year, we have Cubano Wars. This is a battle between Miami restaurants,” said Lebena. “Who makes the best Cuban sandwich? Whoever is out there that has a Cuban sandwich, let’s register it and see who is the best.”
Fonseca will be playing songs from his new album as well as some of his biggest hits at the event.
“We’re going to be performing the new songs from my new album that is called ‘Agustín,’ that was released in November,” said Fonseca. “It’s going to be the first time we’re going to be presenting these new songs here in Carnaval, so it’s going to be a very special day.”
He told 7News that his fans attending the event this year are in for a surprise.
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