The fourth annual Hispanic Heritage Festival brings the community together
Riley King - Staff Writer
Monmouth’s town square came alive on Saturday night with the Fourth Annual Hispanic Heritage Festival, held just days after the start of Hispanic Heritage month. The festival offered the community a chance to celebrate culture through food, music, and art, with vendors and performances from the Hispanic community.
A crowd gathered around a platformed stage to watch dancers. Photo by Riley King.
“This festival is for us to remember and reconnect with our roots and culture, whether that be through food or by watching traditional ballet folklorico,” said Monmouth student Karla Ramirez. “But more importantly, it is to share it with those around us and to invite you to step into our heritage and into our history.”
Hosted by United Way for the past four years, the event has grown with more vendors and performances each year. As the evening began, crowds of people filled the square, lining up for elote, churros, crafts, and more while live music set the tone for the rest of the night.
At 6, Ximena Salinas, a singer from the Chicago area, opened the celebration with a performance. Later, there was a performance of traditional dances by the Quad Cities Ballet Folklorico. To close out the night, Banda Perla Del Sur got the crowd singing and.
“The Hispanic Heritage Festival celebrates people who are a cornerstone of the Monmouth community,” said student Brontë de Zwart. “I enjoy going to try new foods and watching the performances. These events are important for bringing the community together and showing how experiencing different cultures enriches our lives.”