Erin William
Editorial Assistant

Looking for a fun-filled event with food, vendors, music and more? Be sure to check out the bi-weekly Pulga events hosted by the Latinx Education Collaborative in partnership with the Latino Foundation for the Arts. The Pulga, meaning “flea market” in Spanish, event is set to take place every other week in the lot next to 2203 Lexington Ave. Here you will find vendors lined up selling various products from food to art.

Since the launching of PULGA took place on June 3rd, the second PULGA had a phenomenal turn out and took place the weekend of Saturday the 17th from 11 am until 2pm. With approximately 14 vendors, some of the businesses represented at the event were various hispanic cuisines by Antojitos El Tony, designs by Piece of Mine KC, artists like Felipe Palacios, and Tacos Ruby’s.

Edgar Palacios, Founder of the Latinx Education Collaborative, said the goal of the PULGA events is to “bring awareness to downtown Pendleton Heights, increase the traffic in the neighborhood.”
To Palacios and Deanna Muñoz, founder of the Latino Foundation for the Arts, it is also important that locals understand the products available to them and that the PULGA event provides “locals a good community building space.”

They hope that within the neighborhood the event brings out a “culture that is sometimes invisible,” Muñoz said – a goal that PULGA already seems to be achieving. The vendors at Saturday’s event were exceptionally passionate and creative with their work. Dionee, a Paparazzi Jewelry consultant, stated she was looking forward to getting exposure from the event and building her clientele.

Vendor Mariela Rodriguez, owner of Sirena Serena, a clean sourced soy wax candle business, shared that she started her business to “make sure I had something in my home that I felt was clean for my family to enjoy.” She was proud to share her mission with the local community at the PULGA event.
Michelle, founder of Michelle’s Creations, a business focused on making customized memorial items, shared that Saturday’s event gained “more traffic” and she looks forward to the future of the event.
Be sure to check out the third hosting of Pulga this coming Saturday, July 1, from 11a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information on when to look out for the PULGA events be sure to follow @latinoartsfoundation on Instagram. Local business owners hoping to join in on the event should email the Latinx Education Collaborative at info.latinxedco.org or the Latino Foundation for the Arts at latinoartsfestivalkc@gmail.com.