Immigration Fears Reshape North Carolina Latino Festivals in 2025

(CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA) One of North Carolina’s largest Latino cultural gatherings will not happen this year. The Hispanic Heritage Festival of the Carolinas, a longtime Uptown tradition at Truist Field, was canceled for August 2025 after months of debate among organizers over safety risks tied to immigration enforcement. Co-founder Rick Herrera said the decision came down to community protection, explaining, “We also have to protect our community, and that means taking measures like maybe not holding a large mass event… to where the community can be targeted.” The move underscores how fear of enforcement has reached into everyday life, including family-friendly festivals that have long served as spaces for pride, food, and cultural connection.

The announcement reflects what community leaders describe as a steady chill across Latino public life this year. Organizers, vendors, and families say they are adjusting plans amid renewed national focus on enforcement under President Trump in 2025. Some marquee events have pressed on with changes. Others have downsized or moved to different venues. Still others, like the Hispanic Heritage Festival, have chosen to stop altogether, at least for now.

Herrera and his team spent roughly six months weighing whether to proceed. The festival has previously drawn up to 10,000 people in a single day, creating a lively, high-profile scene. This year, that scale felt unsafe to them. Behind the scenes, planners worried that a large gathering could become a magnet for fear even without any enforcement action. The organizers’ message to the community: they’ll come back when conditions feel safer.

Festivals: Cancellation, Caution, and Adaptation

While one major fixture is off the calendar, several other events are moving forward with adaptations.

• The Latin American Coalition’s 35th Latin American Festival is set for September 20, 2025, at Ballantyne’s Backyard, described as the “heartbeat of our community.” In 2024 it drew over 14,000 attendees, and the Coalition’s Day of the Dead celebration topped 18,000. Leaders expect similar or slightly lower numbers this year as families make personal choices about risk and public visibility. Event details are available at the Latin American Coalition’s site, https://latinamericancoalition.org.

• The Hola Charlotte Festival is still scheduled for September; organizers say they’re monitoring conditions and coordinating closely with city partners.

• The United Cultures Festival in Marion plans to take over Main Street on September 13, 2025, featuring dance, music, and traditions from across McDowell County.

In the Triangle region, the picture is mixed. Attendance at the Mexican national soccer team’s summer match at UNC Chapel Hill fell sharply, with more than half of Kenan Memorial Stadium’s 50,500 seats empty — a contrast with a 2010 game that drew 63,000 fans.

Yet some gatherings persisted:

• Raleigh’s La Fiesta del Pueblo remains on track.
• Durham-based El Centro Hispano reported a bright spot: its August event drew 3,500 people, an increase from last year. El Centro’s Director of Operations, Mauricio Solano, credits careful planning and visible cooperation with local authorities for helping people feel more comfortable attending. Information is available at https://elcentronc.org.

These parallel stories—one canceled event, another with strong turnout—highlight how local trust, clear communication, and the physical setting can make a difference. Smaller, neighborhood-focused events and well-labeled safety measures (like legal information booths and community IDs) help families assess their comfort level. Groups such as The Hispanic Liaison (El Vínculo Hispano) have leaned into these strategies, running community ID drives and youth programs. More details are at https://hispanicliaison.org.

Enforcement Climate and Local Response

The broader enforcement climate is a major factor in people’s decisions. In 2025, President Trump’s renewed emphasis on immigration enforcement has sparked larger protests in major cities and revived old fears in communities far from the coasts. Even rumors of enforcement activity, advocates say, can keep thousands away from public spaces.

Local officials in North Carolina have tried to counter that fear where they can. Durham Mayor Leonardo Williams attended El Centro Hispano’s summer festival and spoke about the city’s Latino community as central to its identity. The City of Durham continues to share multilingual updates and community resources at https://durhamnc.gov.

Some organizers rely on long-standing relationships with city staff and police to show that events are family spaces. Others point to federal “protected areas” guidance that discourages enforcement in places like schools, hospitals, and places of worship. While festivals and stadiums are not automatically classified this way, attorneys often advise event teams to:

1. Educate volunteers and attendees about their rights.
2. Provide legal resource tables.
3. Designate an on-site response lead in case concerns arise.

The Department of Homeland Security’s guidance on protected areas is posted at https://www.dhs.gov/guidelines-protected-areas.

Attendance trends across the state suggest long-term effects if fear persists. Organizers note that every canceled event or half-empty venue ripples through small businesses—food vendors, stage crews, clothing sellers, artists, and local shops near event sites. Families who skip a festival lose not only a day out but also access to services and support networks that appear at these gatherings.

Some parents worry that a show of cultural pride could draw the wrong kind of attention. Others say the stress of the unknown—what if a rumor spreads during the event?—outweighs the joy of attending.

At the same time, organizers who keep events on the calendar argue that visibility matters. Public celebrations remind neighbors and officials that Latino residents are part of North Carolina’s fabric. José Hernández-Paris of the Latin American Coalition frames the festival as vital for visibility and engagement. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, sustained public events also help connect newer immigrant families with information about schools, health care, and legal services.

How Organizers and Planners Are Adapting

For Herrera and his team at the Hispanic Heritage Festival of the Carolinas, the risk-benefit calculation came out differently this year. They emphasize they’re not stepping away from culture or community; they’re pausing a large-scale event that could make people feel exposed. Their focus now shifts to safer alternatives:

• Smaller gatherings
• Digital storytelling
• Partnerships that distribute attendance across venues and dates

Event planners across the state are comparing notes and testing practical changes:

• New layouts to improve crowd flow and reduce choke points
• Clear signage about family reunification areas
• Volunteer training on de-escalation and response procedures
• Strengthened communications plans to stop rumors from snowballing

These operational changes aim to lower perceived and real risks so more families feel comfortable attending.

Advice for Families Considering Attendance

For families deciding whether to attend, a few steps can help:

• Check organizers’ updates the week of the event for safety plans and contact numbers.
• Look for on-site legal information tables and community ID drives.
• If you’re uneasy about large crowds, arrive earlier in the day or choose smaller neighborhood events.
• Share a simple meeting plan with children in case you get separated.
• Bring medications, water, and a charged phone; save emergency contacts in your device.

Advocacy groups add that offering virtual access—live streams, virtual chats with performers, and post-event videos—makes events more inclusive for those who choose to stay home.

What’s Next: Watching Policy and Local Trends

North Carolina’s Latino calendar still has bright spots this fall, but the backdrop has clearly shifted. In some places, attendance has softened; in others, careful partnerships have led to stronger turnout.

Organizers say they’re watching policy moves in Washington and local enforcement trends closely and are ready to pivot if conditions change. Some point to ongoing congressional conversations—such as talk around the Dignity Bill—as part of the longer horizon.

For now, decisions are being made event by event, week by week, balancing pride with peace of mind. Organizers expect to bring back large celebrations like the Hispanic Heritage Festival when conditions allow.

Residents can follow updates directly from organizers and local resources:

• Latin American Coalition: https://latinamericancoalition.org
• El Centro Hispano: https://elcentronc.org
• The Hispanic Liaison: https://hispanicliaison.org
• City of Durham resources: https://durhamnc.gov

Key takeaway: Pride is still strong—music, dance, and food continue to bring people together—but many families are weighing that joy against a climate of immigration enforcement that feels closer to home. Organizers will keep listening and adapting until conditions allow a return to full-scale celebrations.