Don’t be surprised if you see people dancing on the benches in Harrisburg’s Reservoir Park on August 5.

It’s just part of Latin Fest 2000, Harrisburg’s second annual Latin music festival. The event, which is free to the public, will feature live Latin music and dance from noon to 6 p.m. at the park’s bandshell stage.

Entertainers will include singers from top international Latin bands, as well as local musicians and dance groups and a Latin dance contest. In addition, Latin disc jockeys from Pennsylvania, as well as two special guest DJs from Tampa, Fla., and Washington, DC, will spin popular Latin music for the crowd’s dancing pleasure.

Event host Jimmy Castro, who does Harrisburg’s only live Latin music broadcast from radio station WYCY 1400 AM "The Touch," says attendees can expect a day of lively fun.

The dance contest, which is set to take place about midway through the festival, is expected to be one of the event’s biggest crowd-pleasers, with couples competing in dance styles Castro describes as "highly energetic, fun, exciting, and sensual."

The festival will include mostly "tropical" style Latin music, he notes, which is "high-energy dance music."

Led by stars such as Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, and Marc Anthony, Latin music has surged to the forefront of popular music in the past couple of years, and Castro says he is trying to bring that musical trend to Harrisburg.

"We want to let people know Harrisburg is keeping up with the times," he said, laughing.

Castro, who has been promoting Latin music in Pennsylvania for the past five years, says Mayor Stephen Reed, the City of Harrisburg, and local businesses have been very supportive of his efforts.

The City approached him last year with the idea of holding its first all-Latin musical festival, and Castro says it turned into a big success, drawing about 3,000 to 4,000 visitors.

"There were people just having so much fun," he recalls. "And the music does that to you — it’s just exciting."

Castro says the festival is typical of Latino get-togethers in that it has a "family atmosphere" and includes people of all ages, from children to older folks — there’s lots of smiling and laughing.

Harrisburg has a sizable Latin community, Castro notes, with about seven percent of its population estimated to be Hispanic.

However, he emphasizes that the festival is for everyone. "This festival is not only for the Latin community — it’s for people who enjoy Latin music, regardless of what their nationality or background is," he says.

One thing is for sure: Anyone attending the festival can expect to have a good time — and to dance.

"At Latin festivals, you usually see people dancing all over the place," Castro says. "Your body just starts moving … the music just takes control of your senses."

Castro believes that the festival, which will include a variety of Latin foods, will give non-Hispanics a taste of Latin culture while also serving as a celebration for Harrisburg’s Latinos.

"People in the Latin community, by having this, are getting a feeling that they’re welcome here — that they’re part of the community — which is a very positive thing," he explains.