It's been 27 years since Modesto Rodriguez moved to Lancaster from New York City.

"I came for vacation and never left," he said.

He and his wife, Dilia (to whom, he says, he's been married "forever"), raised five girls here. They're grown now and have given him 12 grandchildren.

Rodriguez, who is 60 and retired from the Lancaster City police department, is now the director of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center on South Prince Street. He's one of the organizers of this weekend's Latino Fest and Puerto Rican Parade.

For 28 years, the parade has been a celebration of the Puerto Rican community. This year, members of the Puerto Rican Committee of Lancaster decided to expand the event and create Latino Fest, to welcome residents here from all over Latin America, including such countries as the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Colombia.

One of the highlights of the festivities that began Friday night, is, naturally, today's parade — an event that includes four mayors from towns in Puerto Rico.

While that may not seem like a big deal to much of the county, members of the Puerto Rican community "get to meet the mayors from the towns they were born in," Rodriguez said.

Whether or not the mayors were in office when today's parade-goers lived in their hometowns, they will be remembered. In many towns, everyone knows everyone else.

Every parade brings a host of different mayors.

Waldemar Rivera, the mayor from Villalba — in the central region of Puerto Rico (and known as pigeon pea city) — planned to bring nearly 100 people with him for today's parade.

(Pigeon peas are a legume that look like peas.)

Some of the out-of-town guests flew in from Puerto Rico a few days ago to prep their floats.

Before today's events started, Rodriguez gave credit to Diana Hurlburt, who he says has been the "top banana," the central organizer of the parade.

Rodriguez's first name, Modesto, suits him. It means modest, humble.

When asked about his life and his accomplishments, Rodriguez was quick to talk about the accomplishments of others or of the entire Puerto Rican Committee.

He said his experience as a police officer has afforded him respect from younger members of the Latino community; but at the same time, he said, the wisdom and background of others — such as committee president Hector Valentin — also have served as strong influences, as role models.

His main duties for the Latino Fest have involved obtaining sponsors, advertising and media coverage. He's also coordinated the sound system for Binns Park and the cultural center.

"Everyone has a to-do list," he said.

On Thursday, as sound technicians asked Rodriguez questions inside the center, he remained characteristically calm.

"I've always been this way," he said after answering a call to his cell phone.

He's a man with a purpose.

The cultural center, which opened in January, has been "something that's been missing here," Rodriguez said. "We don't want our young people to lose that knowledge..."

The knowledge of who they are and where they came from.

Since opening, the center has been trying to build up its bookings of events, including seminars and weddings.

The center feels peaceful in the afternoon. The light delivers an amber glow through the blinds, making the wood floor gleam. The ceiling is a dreamy sky-blue with puffy clouds.

Early next year, the center expects to host cooking and dancing classes.

Young people, Rodriguez said, are growing up without learning how to cook traditional fare from scratch like their grandmothers did.

Walk inside the traditional home of a Puerto Rican family at dinner time, and it's likely the intoxicating aroma of sofrito soon will embrace you.

Sofrito forms the base for many Puerto Rican dishes. It's a blend of peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, recao (also called culantro, a longer-leafed, more flavorful cilantro).

"We are proud of our cuisine," Rodriguez said.

For Lancaster Countians who would like to sample the cuisine or the culture, there's plenty to do today.

At 5 p.m., there will be live music at Binns Park by Los Fantasticos and performances by the Imani Edutainers. At 6 there will be salsa dancing. The festivities are free.

Events back at the cultural center start at 7. They include a dance, dinner and an awards ceremony, followed by more dancing, for $40.

CONTACT US: rmeadows@LNPnews.com or 481-6025