By Rich Larson
Northfield will celebrate Hispanic heritage and culture later this month with food, music, dancing and a new activity designed to extend the celebration well beyond the festival itself.
The Northfield Public Library’s annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration is set for Saturday, September 19, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Central Park. Library Services Director Natalie Draper said the event will feature live music and dancing, Zumba, face painting, craft vendors, community organizations and the library bookmobile.
Food will once again be a major part of the celebration, with nine food trucks scheduled to participate. New this year is a tamale contest featuring a blind taste test by three judges to determine Northfield’s best tamale maker.
Also new is the Heritage Stamp Activity, or Sellos de Herencia, a downtown scavenger hunt running throughout Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 through October 15.
Participants can pick up a collectible activity album at the library and visit ten downtown businesses to collect specially designed stamps representing Hispanic and Latin American heritage. QR codes at each location will provide information about culture, music, traditions and stories.
Participating businesses include Hogan Brothers, Mercado Locale, The Hideaway, Little Joy, Homebody Refill Market, Tacos El Citio, The Art Skill, Content, Imminent Brewing and Tendi.
The project was developed by innovation and culture designer Thais Brockway, a Northfield resident originally from Peru, who combined the Latin American tradition of collecting stickers in albums with the American tradition of scavenger hunts.
The eleventh and final stamp will be available at the September 19 celebration. Those collecting all eleven can bring their completed album to the library for a limited-edition commemorative postcard.
Draper said the stamp activity offers another way for people to engage with Hispanic traditions, culture and language throughout the month, while the festival itself provides an opportunity for Northfield residents from different backgrounds to connect as one community.
Rich Larson is the owner and General manager of KYMN Radio. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
