MANASSAS, Va. — Hispanic Heritage Month has begun and Manassas residents are ready to celebrate. The annual Manassas Latino Festival is set to kick off at the Harris Pavilion from noon until 7 p.m. on Sept. 24.
Hispanic Heritage Month runs from Sept. 15-Oct.15 every year and was founded in 1968 to observe and celebrate the history, culture and contributions of people whose ancestry comes from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America, according to the National Hispanic Heritage Month (NHHM) website.
This annual event is a project of Abriendo Puertas and aims to "empower the Latino community to integrate, thrive and fully participate in building a stronger, just and inclusive society for all," according to the Manassas Latino Festival website.
According to Jose Paiz, a Manassas Latino Festival official, this festival has been going on in the Northern Virginia community for about 20 years and he has been part of its tradition for 17 years. He said this festival is a celebration of all the contributions the Latino community has made to Manassas and the surrounding areas.
Because the Latino culture is diverse, Paiz said the festival aims to include the various elements of the many cultures throughout the community.
"The whole thing started as an idea for it to serve as a bridge of cultures," said Paiz.
He said he has seen the rise in the Latino population in Manassas since the early 2000s. Currently, around 37% of the population in Manassas is Latino, according to the U.S. Census.
"There was some contentions that the new populations are coming into areas. So the festival was a way and has always been trying to serve a page from between cultures, you know, just to expose our culture to the other [parts of the] community," said Paiz.
The festival will be filled with activities for the entire family and Paiz said those who plan to attend should "come hungry," as there will be plenty of food vendors at the event.
Attendees can expect cultural dances, and live music including performances by Mariachi Los Amigos, Mystic Warriors, Ocho de Bastos and more local talent.