Justin Ries
Staff Writer
The Campus Activities Board hosted El Ocho Market, with food vendors, crafts, music and more Wednesday on Citrus lawn in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month.
“I wanted to … praise Hispanic culture and have some different aspects of it like food, dessert and activities to go along with celebrating our heritage,” said business administration major and CAB member Analise Espinoza said.
The event featured such local businesses as Ontario-based La Michoacana, which makes various frozen desserts and popsicles; Pomona-based Castañedas, which features tacos, burritos and other favorites; and Monrovia-based Lord Empanada.
The Munchie Spot provided 150 churros with maple, chocolate and strawberry syrups.
The drink table had watermelon, pineapple, cucumber and horchata drinks.
Besides the food and drinks, the event also featured crafts, including the opportunity to decorate ceramic pots.
Spanish music playing throughout the event had some students swaying along as they made their way from one table to the next.
About 200 students in all attended the popular event.
After checking in students received wristbands, which were marked each time they visited a vendor to ensure they got only one churro or empeñada while supplies lasted.
“I enjoyed the food, especially the tortas,” freshman psychology major Eman Akapo said.
“I went to go get breakfast, and I ran into a ton of guys and met some new guys and now I am here making … friends,” sophomore kinesiology major Michael Nystromn said.
The Latino Student Forum also hosted a table at El Ocho Market to talk about membership and promote their events.
“I really like the culture in it and I like how much stuff there was and the prizes that were here,” freshman computer science major Raul Hernandez said.
The final event at the Market was the raffle, with prizes including AirPods, an iPad, and a University of La Verne sweatshirt.
Justin Ries can be reached at justin.ries@laverne.edu.
Justin Ries is a junior journalism major with a concentration in broadcast journalism, and is a staff writer for the Campus Times.
Vicente Rodriguez is a senior photography major with a marketing minor and a staff photographer for the Campus Times. He has previously served as photography editor of the Campus Times and a staff photographer for La Verne Magazine.
