Hispanic Heritage Fiesta welcomes 5,000 patrons

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After a three-year hiatus because of COVID-19, this year’s Hispanic Heritage Fiesta on Sept. 17 attracted 5,000 people to downtown Siler City in a celebration of Hispanic arts and culture. Fiesta is hosted annually by the Hispanic Liaison in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month.

Fiesta opened to the sounds of mariachi, and the crowds enjoyed diverse Latinx rhythms, traditions and foods throughout the day. There was live music by Mariachi Mexico 2000 and Descendientes de Tierra Caliente, performances by folkloric dance groups, games for youth, and over 70 booths from nonprofits, government agencies, businesses and craft vendors. Piedmont Health Services brought their new health clinic bus to offer COVID-19 vaccines for children and adults.

We’re thrilled to have hosted our most successful Hispanic Heritage Fiesta yet. The crowds began arriving early and Fiesta was busy all day long. We’re very grateful to everyone who attended, our volunteers and the 57 event sponsors who made this year’s Fiesta possible.

A Frida Kahlo ‘Mojiganga’

One of Fiesta’s highlights was a parade of traditional outfits and quinceañeras featuring a 10-foot tall “mojiganga” (giant puppet) of Frida Kahlo, which as designed and built by the Liaison’s staff member, Elena Gonzalez, with help from her husband, Juan Carlos Gonzalez. The “mojiganga” paraded through two blocks of N. Chatham Avenue alongside children, youth and adults in traditional outfits from various Latin American countries.

The “mojiganga” will be on display at the N.C. Arts Incubator’s gallery through Oct. 15 alongside paintings from Leticia Alvarez, a Mexican artist from Raleigh who is the featured artist for Hispanic Heritage Month.

Words from local officials

Several local leaders helped welcome the crowds at the Fiesta’s official opening. County commissioner Franklin Gomez-Flores, one of five Latinx county commissioners in the state, encouraged participants to reach out to him to talk about issues affecting their lives and share ideas of how to improve our local economy, education and more.

Siler City Mayor Thomas “Chip” Price III welcomed participants to the event, thanked the organizers, and discussed the upcoming growth in the town with the announcement of Wolfspeed coming to the CAM site.

“This will bring several changes to the people living here,” Price said, encouraging the Latinx community to engage in civic opportunities with the town.

Hannia Benitez, the Hispanic Liaison’s Deputy Director, spoke about her role as the chair of the recently established Immigrant Community Advisory Committee for the town. Benitez encouraged everyone to engage in the committee’s efforts to improve communication and relationships between Latinx residents and the town.

Fiesta ended with the bursting of a piñata and a raffle with nine prizes.

“It was a beautiful day and beautiful celebration of our community and our cultures,” Benitez said. “We could not be prouder of our staff and volunteers who worked so hard to organize a great Fiesta.”