‘A space for all’: Cumbias y Cafecito summer nights are coming to Phoenix

Cumbia, café and good company.

That’s exactly what the family at Fair Trade Cafe is bringing to downtown Phoenix on July 22 with their inaugural Summer Nights series of Cumbias y Cafecito, the first of two scheduled for the summer.

The free series serves various purposes.

One, to escape the exhausting heat that obligates us to remain indoors. What better way to tackle high temperatures than with pounding cumbia beats, their new, limited-edition strawberry guava matcha in one hand and cold-brew Black Magic Woman in the other? Add a matcha tres leches stuffed concha to the mix and you’re set to dance the evening away.

Second purpose? Espresso day parties have been on the rise for months. Central Records, a music café less than a quarter mile up the street from Fair Trade, had the right idea when they brought in Indigenous, queer-owned coffee shop Skoden to host an ongoing pop-up several days a week. Their records are constantly playing as Honey Lavender Lez Love aficionados vibe to the tunes while being in community.

According to Nadia Vasquez, daughter of Fair Trade owner Stephanie Vasquez and current creative lead of the brand, they decided jumping on this trend would serve as a great opportunity for the business and their community. Having hosted other community-focused events over the nearly-20-year history of the coffee shop, it’s sure to hit home.

“We are really involved in the community and always put on community events,” Vasquez told CALÓ News. 

Recently, Fair Trade hosted an event alongside Amor Amigas, an Arizona-based social networking club for women — which Vasquez is also a part of — called Matcha and Música with local DJ Ava Cruz setting the musical vibe.

The event was so successful that, according to Vasquez, they had to host another open to all.

Come Tuesday, July 22, local DJ duo Vynil Vagos will be setting the tone with popular cumbias as coffee, matcha and tea lovers gather from 6 to 8 p.m. for an evening rooted in Latino pride.

Lastly, yet most importantly, the event is meant to offer a “space for all to feel space and welcomed,” Vasquez said, adding that they crafted this event with intention, much like their business model of curating coffee experiences via sustainable practices. 

As they organized the event, they looked to local artists to bring it to life. Among that local talent are Eduardo-X and DJ Felix from Vynil Vagos, music curator Elyssa Bustamante, also known as The Funky Latina, and visual designer Keila Gonzalez.

“From music producers to designers, everyone is Latino and everything is done with purpose,” she said.

A second event is planned for August, Vasquez said.

Head over to their Instagram page for more information on the free event.