Festival in Baltimore will celebrate Hispanic heritage
BALTIMORE -- As we continue to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month here in Baltimore, a festival is taking place in Baltimore's Highlandtown community this weekend.
It all started during the COVID-19 pandemic and has grown into a celebration for the entire community.
A lot of people were struggling financially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the Highlandtown neighborhood, organizers wanted to find a way to support Latin American artists, so they called on the community for help.
"We started in a parking lot," organizer Yesenia Mejia said.
Back in 2020, about 150 people came together in a small parking lot off of Eastern Avenue to support local Latino artists.
Two years later, a lot more space is needed.
"We're closing the street. It's between Eastern and Bank Street," Mejia said.
This weekend, the street outside of the Creative Alliance Art Center in Highlandtown will be shut down for a celebration of Latino culture.
There will be live music, dancing, food and an Artisan Market that features handmade jewelry.
"For us it is important to continue with celebrations so our ancestors still feel proud of us," Mejia said.
This is a celebration for everybody, no matter your ethnical background.
"It doesn't matter if you're not from Latin America, everybody is welcome to come," Mejia added.
"I feel proud of all my friends," Flor Gallego said. "We work so hard to share with the community so they can know where we come from and [know about] our culture and traditions."
The celebration is from 3-7 p.m. on Saturday.
