Can't make it to Latin America this weekend?

Not to worry: The 12th annual Festival Latino will bring the region to the Scioto riverfront with its diverse collection of food, vendors and music.

Billed as the second-largest Latino festival in the Midwest (behind Chicago's), the fiesta drew more than 300,000 people Downtown last year.

The event will end at 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday instead of its traditional midnight (although it opens an hour earlier, at 11 a.m.).

"We decided that we want to maintain a family atmosphere," said Karen Wiser, managing director.

"As the festivals have grown, the crowds have gotten just extremely large, and it's harder to manage that the later in the evening it goes."

When researching acts for entertainment, art director Edward Myers said, he looks for high-quality music and pays attention to the demographics of Columbus and Ohio, to cater to specific Latino communities.

Among the headliners this year: Javier Garcia and Albita of Cuba, Los Askis of Mexico, Oro Solido of the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, and Forro for All of Brazil.

Rob Curto, the accordion-playing frontman of Forro for All, will bring his fusion of sounds to Columbus for the first time.

"The music is Brazilian but like nothing you've ever heard before," Curto said. "Some of it draws on traditional music, but there are additional influences -- especially from jazz because everyone in the band, whether Brazilian or not, lives in New York."

The group consists of two percussionists, an electric bass player, Curto on accordion and guest singer Magali.

The band's name relates to the kind of music it plays: Forro is a style that originated in northeastern Brazil, where Curto spent a lot of time while living in the country.

"It's different from samba and bossa nova, which is what most people associate with Brazil," he said. "The accordion is the essential element in it, and there are a lot of beautiful lyrics and beautiful melodies."

In addition to the 22 bands playing on three stages, 38 food vendors will be serving everything from tacos to fried plantains and funnel cakes.

Although most vendors are from Ohio, their food hails from Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico and the West Indies.

Many festival patrons, Myers said, come from out of state.

"People of Hispanic heritage, especially people who have not been in the country very long, go through most of the year in a very diverse cultural setting, sometimes missing out on their own cultural music, activities, food," he said.

"I think they're willing to travel to come and celebrate aspects of their own culture."

cyavorcik@dispatch.com

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Festival Latino Bicentennial Park and Genoa Park ( ) 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday music and dance performances, children's art activities, food and shopping free