Last weekend saw the return of one of the South End's most colorful and tuneful annual traditions, Villa Victoria's Festival Betances sponsored by IBA (Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción). The three-day celebration of Puerto Rican and Latino music and culture began on Friday night, July 17 at 6:00 PM with a parade around the perimeter of the Villa Victoria complex with Mayor Walsh and other city officials, community leaders, pageant winners and youth groups marching and performing. The parade was followed by music in Plaza Betances at 100 West Dedham Street, setting the stage for the weekend's program. IBA marketing and events manager Janelle Liceaga-Rojas reported attendance of approximately 4,000 over the three days, with more than 800 people at Friday night's Noche de Bohemia, over 1,500 attendees on Saturday and over 1,700 people attending the festival's finale on Sunday. The Boston Police Department (BPD) had details on duty throughout the festival, and according to BPD Lt. Mike McCarthy, "There were no issues to report on the festival. It was very peaceful."

The parade was led by IBA community leaders; youth dance, baton and pom-pom groups; and local officials including Mayor Martin J. Walsh, Boston chief of health and human services Felix G. Arroyo and Sheriff Steve Tompkins. South End Dynamite, a girls' dance group that performs at festivals and cultural events throughout the Boston area; the Roberto Clemente Dancers and Las Estrellas Tropicales performed in the procession. Boston Parks and Recreation Department (BPRD) director Chris Cook also dropped by Plaza Betances to greet IBA chief executive officer Vanessa Calderon Rosado. After the parade, residents and neighbors flocked to Plaza Betances for Noche de Bohemia, an evening of lilting, sentimental musical favorites with Wilson Vera y su Trio. Singer/percussionist Manolo Mairena, who plays Boston and tours internationally playing a wide variety of Latin American music styles, showed his versatility at Noche de Bohemia with melodic, passionate vocals, a departure from the high-energy music he so often performs. The plaza was set with cloth-covered tables and Villa Victoria residents were served cake and fruit for dessert by IBA staff, lending an intimate, family-reunion style ambiance to the evening. To the side of the plaza, vendors sold Puerto Rican street-food delights throughout the weekend. The queen and princesses of the children and youth pageants of the Festival Puertorriqueño of Massachusetts joined the parade and strolled the plaza greeting attendees over the weekend.

The festival resumed at 2:00 on Saturday with International Day, featuring a variety of activities including a domino tournament, raffle and dance performances by South End Dynamite, the South End Showstopperz and Las Estrellas Tropicales. Las Estrellas paid tribute to their founder, the late community activist, Villa Victoria co-founder and entertainer Felita Oyola, wearing tops bearing her photo. The musical acts were an international mix of styles, including Honduran punta from the Jurumei band, who brought a couple of audience members onstage to dance with them; merengue and bachata from Grupo Chevere; bi-lingual rap with hip-hop and reggaeton artist Damian King; and the merengue and bachata dance rhythms of the night's headlining act, Mambo Swing.

Sunday afternoon was devoted specifically to Puerto Rican heritage. The program began with athletic events including the traditional palo enceba'o or greased pole contest, in which teams of young men attempt to scale a vertical pole covered with grease to grab the Puerto Rican flag and a 3-on-3 basketball tournament in O'Day Park. Two teams competed in the greased pole event, and while neither reached the flag, the team that got closest was declared the winner. The dominoes, basketball and greased pole winners were awarded just before Sunday's headlining act and the finale of the festival, with a member of the winning greased-pole team paying a touching tribute to his late father, who had participated in Festival Betances's greased pole contest in past years. The greased-pole team received a $500 prize for their efforts, while the winning basketball team won trophies, sneakers and apparel from Kulturez boutique. Domino tournament winners José Arroyo & David Mercado won trophies and a cash prize.

The festival closed on a high note with a packed crowd in front of the stage dancing to NG2, a popular salsa trio from Puerto Rico. Summing up the weekend on behalf of IBA, Liceaga-Rojas commented in an e-mail, "The event turned out great! We had a total over 3,000 during the weekend coming from many places including Connecticut, New York, Springfield, all Massachusetts and even from Europe and Latin America. Everyone enjoyed the great diversity of the food kiosks, our tournaments and music performances. The closing of NG2 on Sunday was well attended as people from all ages danced at the rhythm of salsa and also requested to play more songs."