The Prickli Agency and local businesses brought the Viva Fall Fest to Fourth Street on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. As a free event focused on highlighting Latinx identities and building community in Berkeley, it used marketing to educate through food, music, and dance. “(The event is) not only highlighting the Latin community, but also bringing … (it) together,” Diana Morales, founder and creative director of Prickli Agency, said.
Prickli Agency, based in Southern California, places an emphasis on community-focused events. Despite the Viva Fall Fest being non-recurring, they hope to continue to foster community through future events in the Bay Area.
While the street filled with the smell of decadent Colombian hotdogs and the sound of salsa music, over 600 Bay Area residents celebrated culture. During the event, festival-goers enjoyed Latin food such as Argentine empanadas, paletas, and aguas frescas. Vendors lined the streets selling personal objects inspired by Latin American culture.
Dee Marie, a vendor at the festival and owner of Cute Things for Cute People, represents her experience as a queer Latina through her art, selling T-shirts, stickers, and charms handmade by her. She hopes to express her experience more than she had seen others do growing up. “I feel like when looking for products, there wasn’t things that like stood with my core values and represented me,” Marie said, “I think the first step for me was, ‘I don’t see the things that resonate with my beliefs, why not do it myself?’”
Marie attends many similar events and said she prefers to go to events that resonate with her identity.
Morales and Lissete Martin, founder of Leset Creative Co., both emphasized that the festival represents more than a one-off idea; it is a movement to socially and financially empower those who have traditionally not been represented.
After realizing how hard it was to run a small business, Martin was inspired to help others. As a Latinx founder, she helps many businesses reach their goals through events. Martin, along with Prickli Agency, aim to help communities and businesses grow together through strategy and marketing.
“I feel like you can reach a lot more people by having your items out here than sometimes ads can,” Lissete explained, believing that the Fest was a great opportunity for business. “Having your table here with people physically walking by, it’s reaching so many other people that wouldn’t know about you,” she said.
As a vendor at the festival herself, Martin was supporting her business, Herrera de Corazon, selling a variety of trinkets that were either curated or handmade. Her jewelry in particular pays homage to her grandfather, who was a blacksmith in Jalisco, Mexico.
Jimmy Yoon, founder of the Oakland Salsa Club, led an activity teaching community members to salsa dance from no prior experience. “Our mission is to remove (the) barrier of entry and to provide free access for the people,” Yoon said. “This is a treasure of humanity that should be shared with everyone.”
Halfway through the festival, Ballet Folklorico Mexicano performed, displaying many dancing styles and genres popular throughout Mexico. Julieta Burgos, a performer at the event, explained how important these performances were for her and her community. “I’m passionate about this, so it’d be a big thing if I lost it,” Burgos stated. “I have a lot of friends here. I like performing, and I like learning more as I go,” she said.
Many vendors expressed that if they were younger, they would learn a lot from events like these. “I think the only thing that we really had growing up was the Dia Los Muertos Festival in Fruitvale,” Marie said, “Something like this is really important to have, especially for the younger generation.” Marie stressed the importance of curiosity when individuals are exploring their Latinx identity.
“Our history isn’t necessarily written in books. You have to find it, and you have to want it. So talk to your elders, talk to your grandparents. Learn as much as you can,” Marie said.