Aetna Hollywood Beach Latin Festival celebrates its 15th Anniversary Sunday, September 21st, 2008 with Free Medical Exams, Latin Music and Food.

Hollywood, FL---Aetna Hollywood Beach Latin Festival marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage month, and this year the festival is focused on fitness! New additions to the festival’s activities include info sessions on various health issues and fun exercises to promote physical health.

With over two million Hispanics now living in South Florida, this year’s festival promises to bring more diversity than ever as we celebrate our Latin culture. Internationally-renowned performers, top local musicians, arts and crafts merchants, raffles, and dozens of food vendors will surround almost 2 miles off the main stage located on New York and Fillmore Streets on Sunday, September 21st, 2008 from 11:00am to 7:00pm.

As part of the day-long, health geared celebration, Aetna’s Health Pavilion in partnership with Memorial Health Care System and Commit2BFit will offer an array of free services for everyone! An Adult Mobile Clinic will have a doctor on site all day available for questions. Free blood pressure screenings and tours of the clinic will also be provided. On board the Adult Mobile Clinic there will be free calendars with the dates that the mobile will be in the community offering free physical exams for anyone that does not have health insurance.  Additionally, this year the Aetna Hollywood Beach Latin Festival is bringing a Triple Touch instructor to inform attendees about breast cancer awareness and will teach how to do a breast self exam.

And Commit2BFit, proud partners of Aetna for the 15th annual Aetna Hollywood Beach Latin Festival will host an interactive display providing entertainment and fun activities along with educational information on nutrition and physical fitness for children.

“We are very committed to the South Florida residents and providing health services is the best we do.  Our partners also recognize that commitment and decided to come on board with us donating their expertise, resources, and time to serve the community,” said Aetna Emerging Markets Director, Nohemi Lopez.     

The event draws an estimated crowd of 30,000 who attend for free while enjoying the last days of summer at the beach.  “This has always been a festival for the family. They come here not only to enjoy the day but to remember and share their traditions.  And we are very excited that this year they’ll have fun and access to healthcare services,” says President, Jose “Pepe” Lopez.

The festival’s continuous entertainment will feature Conjunto Progreso, Orquesta Brava, Tony Swing, Charlie Cruz, DJ Luandy and many more!

Attendees will also be able to enjoy Latin Food from all over the region including Argentina, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and the United States.

Hollywood Beach Latin Festival, Inc., is a non-profit organization supported the City of Hollywood. According to Lopez, the main purpose of the event is the promotion of Hispanics and their culture. The Latino population is the fastest growing community in South Florida and the United States.  The proceeds will benefit students of Broward Community College with scholarships; and will help local housing agencies provide assistance to single mothers who are striving to purchase a home.

The title sponsor this year is Aetna, one of the nation's leading
diversified health care benefits companies.

Co-sponsoring are: The City of Hollywood, CRA of Hollywood,
Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau, American Airlines,
Miami Herald/el Nuevo Herald, Univision 23, and Radio Caracol
Broward Health, US Army, Tropical Financial Credit Union, Café Iguana Pines,
 Commit2BFit,and Memorial Healthcare System, among others.