Latino Festival Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Saturday In Freehold

FREEHOLD, NJ — The 17th Latino Festival of Monmouth County will be Saturday, Sept. 17, from noon to 7 p.m., at the Hall of Records parking lot, 1 E. Main St.

The free community festival celebrates Latino culture through cultural music and dance, Latin food, games and more, according to information about the event. the Latino Coalition is one of the sponsors.

Freehold Borough states on its Facebook page that the borough"is a diverse community with people from many Latino countries, but now call Freehold Borough home.

"With our neighbors, business owners and friends, we celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month which recognizes the achievements and contributions of Hispanic American champions who have inspired others to achieve success," the post said,

it noted that the observation began in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period. It was enacted into law on Aug. 17, 1988.

National Hispanic Heritage Month, Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, celebrates the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. This year’s theme is “Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation.”

The rain date is Saturday, Sept. 24, although predictions are for sunny weather.

As part of ongoing outreach efforts during Hispanic Heritage Month, the Monmouth County court staff will be available from noon to 7 p.m. at the festival to provide information and answer any general questions, a news release from the courts said. Court staff proficient in Spanish will be available at this and all community outreach events this month.