by Shawn Nowlin
With sunshine and temperatures in the high 70s, last Saturday was a near picture-perfect weather day.
Now in its sixth year, the Local Colors of Western Virginia’s Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration returned to the John Nolen Plaza outside the Wells Fargo building in downtown Roanoke on Oct. 4.
With so much going on, the event contained something for everyone, from musical and dance performances to nearly two dozen vendors. The dance performers came from North Cross Lower School and World of Dance. Contemporary Latin American music was performed by The TriColor Band and Santiago Prade & Friends. Dream Dance Studio CEO Marina Perez helped to emcee the event, which attracted people from all over the Roanoke Valley and beyond.
“Hispanic Heritage Month goes from September 15 through October 15, and it’s a time to really commemorate the contributions of the Latino population to celebrate Latin American cultures,” said 0of Western Virginia in a press release. “So, with Local Colors celebrating cultures from around the world, this celebration is an ode to Hispanic Heritage Month.”
Holding a plate of food in one hand and a bottle of water in another, Samantha McRoberts said her favorite part was the stage performers. “The opportunity to experience a different culture in this format was too good to pass up. Not only was it very entertaining, it was informative too,” she said. “Seeing youth dancing in the grass was absolutely adorable.”
When Carol Joy and TriColor, her three-generation family band, hit the stage, they were met with much applause. “Being up here with my parents, husband, sons, siblings and friends means more than you guys could ever imagine. Life is short, guys, we should all try to have more fun,” Joy said before starting their set.
“I can honestly say the biggest joy I get from this event is seeing my Latino neighbors feeling seen and appreciated,” Spencer later wrote on her Facebook page. “For me, that is such an important gauge and even more so this year, as animosity towards the Latino population has been heightened. Assimilation does not mean abandoning one’s heritage. I feel honored to play a small role. It makes all the hard work very much worth it.”
This year’s sponsors were Blue Eagle Credit Union, LeafGuard, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, AARP Virginia, Carilion Clinic, Servicemaster Restore, Roanoke College and Amaryllis Law.
