Celebration for the community: Frank and Pilar Leto bring Carnaval celebration to NHCC

Frank Leto and his wife Pilar have brought the Carnaval celebration to the National Hispanic Cultural Center for 19 years.

Sneak peek into “Carnaval 2024: Comunidade” at the National Hispanic Cultural Center

This year, the event will be called “Carnaval 2024: Comunidade.”

“We are giving thanks to all the people who are helping us bring this to the NHCC,” Leto says. “I played their grand opening more than 20 years ago. We’re also going to have cameos from people who have performed with us in the past.”

The celebration begins at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 9, and Saturday, Feb. 10, at the NHCC.

Carnaval is a celebration of life that occurs just before the Catholic observance of Lent, a time of fasting, praying and abstinence.

Celebration for the community: Frank and Pilar Leto bring Carnaval celebration to NHCC

Carnaval revelers give thanks for the blessings in their lives through public events such as parades and street parties. Elaborate costumes and masks allow people to set aside their everyday individuality and experience a heightened sense of social unity. Participants, while celebrating with music and dance, often indulge in excessive consumption of alcohol, meat and other foods and activities that will be forgone during the upcoming Lent. It is celebrated in Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba and New Orleans.

“We’re bringing the world to Albuquerque,” Leto says. “We have about 46 performers and it’s one of the biggest casts that we’ve had.”

Leto will take the stage with John Bartlit, Howard Cloud, Daniel Ward, Steve Figueroa, Tomas White, Kanoa Kaluhiwa, Chris Buckholz and special guest Tony Quinones.

Dancers will include the Odara Dance ensemble featuring Pilar Leto, Evelyn Linzy, Victoria Gutierez, Sabrina Carabajol and Darrin Visaraga with Amina Dunn and Natalia Casiano.

Carlota Quinones and friends, and Elyse Fahey and friends from Studio Sway will also be on the stage performing.

Leto is grateful to have had the NHCC as a home for the Carnaval celebrations.

“Every year, they give me a blank canvas to put together all the beautiful colors,” he says. “It’s a celebration of community. Pilar and I are grateful to have this opportunity.”