Kids’ event highlights culture of Mexico

The Day of the Child Festival is a national holiday in Mexico and the Mexican Cultural Committee, the Consulate of Mexico in Oxnard and Teatro de las Americas will observe this tradition by hosting a free festival from 2 to 5 p.m. Sun., May 1 at Heritage Square, 730 South "B" St., Oxnard.

The festival will include a variety of cultural activities and workshops. Among the workshops to be offered are: Mexican folkloric dance, mariachi music, piñata and paper flower making. There will be a drawing contest and also workshops in papier mâché and decorated paper.

Teatro de las Americas will distribute 200 free tickets to children to see the play "Somewhere in La Mancha," presented from Sun., May 1 through Sun., May 22 at Petit Theatre, Heritage Square.

Huge papier mâché dolls called "mojigangas" created by Victoria Bossard will be on display at the festival. Event sponsor Aztec Travel will raffle two airline tickets to Mexico on Continental Airlines, another event sponsor.

For information, call Rosa Gascoigne at (805) 487-7831.