Montgomery Parks Hosts Hispanic Heritage Festival

SILVER SPRING, MD – Montgomery Parks is celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month with Celebracion de la Herencia Hispana, a free, upcoming festival that celebrates Hispanic food, music and culture.

The festival will offer a variety of activities that the whole family can enjoy. Local band Grupo Quimbao will provide a diverse selection of Latin music including salsa, merengue, cumbia, bachata and more. The event will also feature food stations showcasing popular dishes and traditional crafts and games, including Chilean rain sticks and the Migration Game, which teaches children about birds that migrate between the United States and Central and South America.

“Meadowside is thrilled to be hosting a celebration in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. Latinos and the Hispanic community are an important part of our neighborhood, and we want to make sure to honor many of the different cultures that help make Meadowside what it is,” said Carolina Giraldo, Director of Meadowside Nature Center. “We hope the celebration will bring the community together and also help bring awareness to the resources and benefits that Meadowside has for Spanish-speakers.”

Located in Rock Creek Regional Park, Meadowside Nature Center offers hands-on natural and cultural history programs, including year-round Spanish-language programs and camps led by bilingual naturalists.

National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed every year from September 15 to October 15. The month celebrates the history, culture, and contributions of Hispanic Americans.

The festival will be held Saturday, Sept. 29, from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Meadowside Nature Center, located at 5100 Meadowside Lane in Rockville. Find more information online at www.MontgomeryParks.org.

Image: Scene from a Hispanic Heritage Month festival in Hillsboro, Oregon, via Travis Loose/Patch staff