Solazo, a five-member international Latin band, will be the featured entertainment at Coastal Carolina University's annual Festival Hispanico, to be held Wednesday, Oct. 3 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Prince Lawn on Coastal's campus. The event is free and open to the public. Food and merchandise will be for sale.

The event will offer food and music from the countries of Central, Latin and South America. Posters, maps and other information will be displayed.

Solazo, whose members are natives of Argentina, Chile and Cuba, performs both traditional and contemporary Latin music including flamenco, samba and salsa. The group, which is on its third tour of the United States, specializes in vocal harmonies and acoustic guitar solos.

In case of inclement weather, Festival Hispanico will be held Wednesday, Oct. 10.

In conjunction with the festival, two up-and-coming singers, Patrick Shannon and Hector Bonet, will bring their Latin sounds to Coastal Oct. 3 at 6:30 p.m. on Prince Lawn. The free performances are sponsored by Coastal's Cultural Arts Series.

Although the New York City-born Shannon has Irish roots, he became interested in Latin music after returning from a tour of duty with the U.S. Marine Corps. He learned Spanish and immersed himself in New York's vast Latin culture. In a short time he was made the lead singer of a merengue band. Most of Shannon's self-titled solo album was recorded on location in the Dominican Republic.

Bonet, also a native New Yorker, began his musical career performing in a Bronx elementary school and has worked his way up to Lincoln Center's famed Avery Fisher Hall. As a teenager Bonet honed his songwriting skills while living in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. He writes and performs his salsa music in English and Spanish.

Shannon and Bonet will perform in Wheelwright Auditorium in case of inclement weather.

For more information, contact Coastal's Office of Multicultural Student Services at 349-2863.