Dancers are rehearsing, food is being prepared and last minute details are coming together for Folkfest 2012.

Starting Thursday night, 16 cultural pavilions scattered around the city will give Saskatonians a taste of the diversity their citizens have to offer.

Zoila Guerrero has worked on the menu for the debut of the Central America and Mexico pavilion.

"We add a little spice that is just from our country, it's kind of our secret," she said.

Volunteers have been preparing tamales since Monday afternoon in order to have enough for the expected crowds.

"The flour has to be cooked, the chicken has to be cooked separately and then we wrap it in banana leaves and steam them … it’s a process," Guerrero said.

In the past, the Hispanic pavilion represented Latin America as a whole, but this year the focus is on preparing authentic foods from Central American countries, Guerrero said.

"We're going to make it more cultural, letting people know about Central America."

"When people hear us speak in Spanish they assume we are all from Mexico," said Guerrero, who is from El Salvador.

The new pavilion will aim to showcase the many different countries, cultures and even different accents of Central America.

For more information log on to saskatoonfolkfest.ca