The public is invited to a celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month which will be held on Sunday afternoon, Sept. 16 at Normal Park in Merrill from 2-5:30 p.m. Traditional music will be performed in the Gazebo by the Mariachis “Nuevo Amanecer.” Delicious, authentic Hispanic food will be available for sale from a variety of vendors, and there will also be piñata.
Hispanic Heritage Month recognizes and pays tribute to the many achievements and contributions of Hispanic people to the United States. It began as a weeklong observance in 1968 when President Lyndon B. Johnson declared the week of Sept. 15 as Hispanic Heritage Week. Sept. 15 is the Independence Day of several countries including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico celebrates its independence on Sept. 16 and Chile on Sept. 18. Twenty years later, President Ronald Regan extended the observance to 30 days, proclaiming Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 as National Hispanic Heritage Month.
This local celebration of the rich culture and important contributions of the Hispanic community is being hosted by HAVEN, which offers bilingual Spanish-English advocacy for interpersonal abuse to individuals and families in this area. Everyone is invited to come and enjoy the music, food and fun.