The Chapines Festival 2026: A Return to Our Roots

Photo by Melida Rodas

Written by Luis Emilio Romero, artist and Board Member

The Chapines Festival 2026 at Industry City in Brooklyn, New York, was a beautiful return to our roots. Being surrounded by so many Guatemalans—our people, Nuestra Gente—all gathered in one place felt like a dream come true.

The festival was filled with the beautiful sounds of marimba music, and everywhere people were dancing, celebrating, and enjoying the day. It was especially joyful to see our vibrant culture. Women proudly wore their traditional indigenous clothing, including the huipil (blouse) and corte (skirt), together known as trajes típicos. Their rich umber, turquoise, and red colors reflected the beauty of our heritage. Many of these handmade garments feature symbols that represent the wearer's region of Guatemala and honor our Mayan ancestry. Seeing these colors reminds us of our history, our craftsmanship, our passion, and the love we carry for our culture.

Karina Onofre (center)

This event was founded by Karina Onofre, a Guatemalan immigrant living in the U.S. Her mission is to connect us all. This was my first time attending the Chapines Festival, and I had the opportunity to participate with our nonprofit organization, Grupo Cajolá. We were honored to have a booth alongside many other community organizations and vendors. We proudly displayed our banner, shared our mission, and spoke with visitors about the work we do. It was wonderful to meet so many fellow Chapines who stopped by to learn more about our organization.

Grupo Cajolá is dedicated to supporting the people of Cajolá, Guatemala, by creating educational and economic opportunities for the community. One of our current projects is building a new school to expand access to education for future generations. Throughout the festival, we collected many signatures from people interested in supporting our mission. We hope these new connections will help spread awareness and strengthen our efforts.

Across from our booth was a vendor creating beautiful bariletes (traditional kites). In Guatemala, giant kite festivals are held every November 1st, in the towns of Sumpango and Santiago Sacatepéquez, in the department of Sacatepéquez. It was wonderful to see this cherished tradition represented at the festival.

Many booths also offered authentic Guatemalan food. One favorite was chicharrón con tomate y cilantro, served with fresh corn tortillas. Another delicious treat was granizadas, a refreshing shaved-ice dessert topped with lime, fresh fruit, and Tajín. I could not forget the chuchitos, it's  corn dough wrapped in a corn husk served with tomato sauce with pork or chicken inside.  

I am grateful to have experienced this wonderful celebration alongside the Guatemalan community. The Chapines Festival reminded me of the strength of our culture, the importance of staying connected to our roots, and the joy of celebrating our traditions together. I hope to participate again next year and continue sharing the mission of Grupo Cajolá with even more members of our community.

Chapines Fest 2026

For a peek at Luis Emilio's art see his website: www.luisemilioromero.com