Melbourne’s annual Latin Summer Festival is to begin at midday today in Federation Square and Birrarung Marr.

Celebrating the cultures of Central and South America, the event also aims to highlight the environmental and social issues facing contemporary Latin America. This year’s event will address conservation of the Amazon rainforest, and the 2014 Football World Cup, to open in Brazil this June.

2013’s Melbourne Latin Summer Festival (Image: Melbourne Latin Summer Festival)

A bunch of Melbourne’s best Latin American restaurants will be present, including St Kilda’s Bluecorn Mexican restaurant, Maidstone’s pan-American Los Latinos (which UrbanDuniya glowingly reviewed last year), and South Melbourne Market’s Paco y Lola.

Brazilian inspired entertainers will roam Federation Square and Birrarung Marr, while DJs will keep the crowds dancing to latin-infused beats into the evening. Meanwhile on Sunday, the focus will be entirely on Birrarung Marr with Salsa and Samba lessons and a fashion show.

It’s Latino and it’s tasty! (Image: Melbourne Latin Summer Festival)

The event is predicted to draw even bigger crowds than last year’s 43,000-strong turnout, on what is forecast to be a hot weekend for Melbourne. Melbourne will be abuzz this weekend with the St Jerome’s Laneway Festival in Footscray today, the Japanese Festival in Federation Square on Sunday, and the annual St Kilda Festival starting today. Add to this the continuing Chinese New Year celebrations, and it looks like one very busy weekend ahead!

For more information, go to the Melbourne Latin Summer Festival’s website.