The Empanada Festival , Pierogi Fest's "Latin Cousin," takes place in Whiting on Saturday at the city's Lakefront Park, 1500 Park Road, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The festival began in 2021 and was created as a way to celebrate Northwest Indiana and Whiting's growing Hispanic community.

Empanadas come in a wide variety of flavors and varieties depending on one's country of origin. In Venezuela and Colombia, most empanadas are made from corn, not wheat. In Argentina, empanadas are baked. In Puerto Rico and Cuba, the similarly crimped pastelitos are equally common.

The ridged edges are created by "crimping" and are more than just decorative; the outer folding keeps the pastry from busting open during the cooking process.

Guests should expect a wide range of sweet and savory varieties, inc

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