GP Carnaval Hispano & Copa Latino-Americana de Futbol.
A free Carnival features the GP Passport to Latin-American Challenge. Participants visit booths that represent different Latin American countries and take part in activities to further their knowledge of these nations.
Annual CultureFest
The Annual CultureFest an experience in the rich cultural diversity of Chattanooga through arts, food, dance, and live music and a special parade of nations. The Fest includes a multicultural fashion show, dance contest and an exhibition of culturally-themed art. Local, ethnic organizations will be on hand displaying cultural artwork, offering food samples & cooking demos along with other global customs. Plenty of activities for the entire family. Activities for all ages: origami, yoga, dance instruction, henna hand painting, face painting, chopstick lessons, tea tasting, passport game, calligraphy, bocce and international board games.
Chattanooga Football Club
In 2009, Chattanooga FC was launched as an experiment in an underutilized community stadium. No one knew whether anyone living in the heart of SEC country would care about a soccer team started by a group of friends and enthusiasts in Chattanooga. And if they did care, we didn’t know if they would cheer on amateurs when even professional soccer in the U.S. was struggling.
But more than 1,600 people showed up for CFC’s inaugural match—a huge success for any amateur team, let alone a new one. A group of supporters also banded together to form the Chattahooligans, cheering on their team with cowbells, horns, banners, flags, and chants, and the raw energy and enthusiasm that has become their hallmark. The CFC has accomplished a lot since that first game.
When the CFC brought in one of Mexico’s top division clubs, Club Atlas, for a friendly match against their U23s in 2010, more than 6,300 fans showed up to cheer CFC to victory. If any doubts of success lingered, they were put to bed by the club’s run to the NPSL Finals that year.
The CFC has continued their winning record every season, and in that time period has won seven conference titles, three region titles and made it to the NPSL Finals four times. After 2014’s heartbreaking loss in the finals, the CFC was invited to host USASA’s National Amateur Championship in 2015 and won the Hank Steinbrecher Cup on its home field.
Gladys Pineda
Director of International Community Outreach Chattanooga Football Club
Its mission is to better connect with the international community, and Gladys’s personal mission is to promote unity through sports, art and cultural diversity, using soccer as a tool to build community in Chattanooga, and to strengthen relationships among all people.