The City of Mount Rainier hosted its first Latino Heritage Month Celebration on September 17, at the City Hall Plaza. The event, which was the first event of its kind in the history of the city, was attended by residents and visitors.

Attendees were entertained with live performances from Mariachi Esmeralda and locally based cultural dance group Grupo Folklorico Rescatando Nuestra Raices USA El Salvador. A sing-along performance from Mirabel, Isabela, and Bruno, characters from the movie Encanto also delighted the crowd.

Young attendees enjoyed an array of kid-friendly activities including arts and crafts administered by Thomas Stone Elementary School PTA, free face painting and glitter tattoos, and a coloring station. Attendees were also treated to free empanadas and cotton candy.

The University of Maryland and Joe’s Emporium also joined the event by providing information to the community.

Latino Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15 to October 15 in the City of Mount Rainier through a Resolution introduced by Mayor Celina Benitez in 2019.