Cocina Flamenca LIVE returns for its third year April 18 at the Latino Cultural Center. Photo by Brandon Tijerina.
Flamenco is coming back to the Latino Cultural Center next month.
Cocina Flamenca LIVE 2026, which is in its third year, is an all ages celebration of the art form (derived from Andalusian Roma in southern Spain, according to Britannica). Hosted by nonprofit The Flame Foundation, the event from 4-8:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 18 will include performances and Spanish food prepared on-site — like chicken, seafood and vegan paella and Andalusian‑style panini Campero de Málaga.
“This year, Cocina Flamenca LIVE truly becomes a campus‑wide celebration,” said Delilah Buitrón Arrebola, artistic director and producer of The Flame Foundation, in a press release. “By activating every performance space, we’re inviting the community to explore flamenco in different environments while sharing food, movement and culture together.”
The salsa-flamenco-style class is new this year, according to the press release. It will take place at 5 p.m. and be led by guest artist Nélida Tirado in the cultural center’s black box theater. The class is free, but participants should register in advance to reserve their space. At the end of the event will be the ticketed Fiesta Flamenca XII from 7-8 p.m. in the cultural center’s auditorium. Performers include internationally-recognized bailaoras Nélida Tirado and Carmen Montes (“La Chispa”), master guitarists Ricardo Sanchez and Juanis de la Isla with José Cortes on cante, and the local Maestro Antonio Arrebola of Flamenco DNA.
The festival is free, but Fiesta Flamenca XII tickets are $39.19, or $55.20 if you pre-order paella, including fees. Both include priority indoor seating. Tickets can be purchased here.
See the full list of performances, as detailed in the press release, below:
4 p.m. – Flamenkitos, free performance inside the auditorium
4:15 p.m. – Guitarra Ricardo Castillo, free performance on the outdoor stage
4:45 p.m. – Sevillanas, free performance on the outdoor stage
5 p.m. – Representa, free performance on the outdoor stage
5 p.m. – Salsa‑flamenco-style dance class, free inside the black box theater
6 p.m. – Sabor Flamenco, free performance on the outdoor stage
6:45 p.m. – Michael Carrasco, free performance on the outdoor stage
7:15 p.m. – Len Bernett, free performance on the outdoor stage
7-8 p.m. – Fiesta Flamenca XII, ticketed performance inside the auditorium
I am a North Texas native with roots in Arlington and Benbrook, and I graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2018. My previous work has centered around small towns and cities west of Fort Worth, and my byline has appeared in The Springtown Epigraph/The Tri-County Reporter, Weatherford Democrat, NewsBreak, Fort Worth Weekly and The Shorthorn. I am happy to serve in Lakewood, which I’ve heard referred to as a small town within the big city. Feel free to email me at medwards@advocatemag.com