Mother Nature poured on as Miami’s biggest street party once again took over Little Havana, but heavy rain was no obstacle for the long-running festivities. All day Sunday, Calle Ocho was packed with people who came to the iconic street to take part in the nation’s largest Latin music festiva l — full of music, food and culture. The rain and wind became intense quickly, but that wouldn’t stop people from participating in all the fun. “Rain or shine, won’t keep us away. It doesn’t matter,” said a woman. Booths were covered up as many looked for any shelter they could find in an attempt to not get soaked. The soggy weather prompted the organizers of the 48th annual Calle Ocho to make a change of plans, but the rain didn’t slow people down. “We’ve enjoyed the heritage, foods, the people and all that,” said a man. “We were supposed to have friends come over, but because of the rain, they got scared, told them to get some ponchos and keep on moving.” This was the first time rain affected the festival this much in decades. “Probably the first time in about 30 years this has happened,” said Thomas Falcon, President of the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana. People ran for cover, umbrellas and all, dampening the festivities just a little. However, the festival moved indoors, where the party did not stop. “It’s a soggy Calle Ocho, but we still got plenty of people out here having a good time, enjoying the day and enjoying the music, the food,” said Falcon. Salsa, reggaeton and plenty of live performances brought a whole lot of energy. “There’s so many groups, so many people, different cultures, not just Latinos, but also Americans here like enjoying the time, having fun,” said a woman. There were lots of great eats, too. “It’s all about the food and being together,” said a couple. “Yeah, and having fun and being together and tasting all the great foods that they have.” The wicked weather wasn’t going to stop the festival in its tracks, as people danced the day away. “The rain doesn’t stop the party because we have a party with a purpose, so that’s exciting,” said Fabiana Petruzzi, Ambassador of the Kiwanis. “It’s been an amazing journey; it’s almost a month that we had our pageant, incredible experience. We had the Carnaval on the Mile, events at the Kiwanis school, and being able to contribute to our community has been truly an honor.” And, as the weather improved, folks came back out and had a great time. “This is, you know, just great for us. It’s a wonderful – see the culture, the music, the energy here. A little rain isn’t gonna keep us from having all this fun,’ said Lourdes Mola, Vice President of Latin Business Development at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel Casino. WSVN is a proud media partner of the Calle Ocho Music Festival. This year’s festival brought in more than 200,000 people. ...read more read less