The City of Glenwood Springs will host the fifth annual Noche Latina on Saturday at the Bethel Plaza, bringing Latin American traditions, music, and culture to downtown Glenwood Springs.
Held in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, the free, family-friendly event brings together the distinct cultures of Latin America while celebrating the Latino community that makes up a significant portion of Garfield County. No registration for the event is required.
“This is a day for the Latino community to celebrate themselves,” said Gladys Arango-Marcon, Glenwood Springs community liaison coordinator and a member of the Sol del Valle Advisory Council.
Arango-Marcon was instrumental in the initial organization of the event and continues to spearhead the planning every year.
“Many of these kids were born in the United States and have lived here their whole lives, so this is an opportunity for parents to show their kids where their roots are, and a chance for them to celebrate who they are,” she said.
The celebration will begin at 4 p.m. Saturday with a Latin Cultural Fair featuring Glenwood Springs High School students representing more than 20 different Latin American Countries. Each student will host a cultural display highlighting the traditions and history of their country and share what they have learned with attendees.
Arts and crafts for children will be available from 4 to 6 p.m., along with costumed characters, outdoor games and activities, and live music played by Orquesta MEDIA LUNA. After 6 p.m., the celebration will continue with dancing, a DJ, and other entertainment.
“We know how important this event is for not just the Latino culture, but the entire city,” Arango-Marcon said. “It is very important for the Latino community to know that we are together, but it’s also very important for the city to be connected with this type of event.”
City of Glenwood Springs Communications and Engagement Officer Bryana Starbuck built upon Arango-Marcon’s point.
“People being able to have fun together is such an important part of how we build community and relationships with each other,” she said. “This is an important way of how to contribute to a positive shared quality of life. The better you know your neighbors and folks that share your community, the better the quality of life is throughout the community.”
Food and alcohol will not be provided at the event, a decision to encourage attendees to support local businesses in the heart of Glenwood Springs.
Glenwood Springs Superintendent of Strategic Initiatives Steve Frederick said that Noche Latina, now in its fifth year, is one of his favorite events of the year.
“This is one of the better (events) that we get to do each year,” he said. “The goal and mission of our department is to bring the community together, but find them where they’re at. We’re really excited to be able to put this on every year to bring a good faction of our community together, educate other folks about the Latino community and where our folks are coming from.
“This is Gladys’s idea she came up with five years ago, and it’s something people look forward to every year, which makes us happy to provide it because there’s such an appetite for it,” Frederick continued. “There is a desire for our community to come together and learn more about each other, and this is just one of the ways we do it throughout the year.”
For more information about the free community event, visit cogs.us.
