Thousands of Salvadorans gathered at the Gaithersburg fairgrounds in Maryland to celebrate Salvadoran Day in the United States and to commemorate the country’s Independence which is celebrated on September 15.
From early on, hundreds of people arrived to get as close as possible to the stage where several orchestras that arrived from El Salvador for the event played.
The festival gathered around ten thousand people. The organizers made sure that the health measures recommended by the authorities were complied with.
In addition to the Salvadorans, immigrants from Guatemala, Honduras, Peru and Panama were also present, who told El Tiempo Latino that they do not miss the Festival every year. “We are very happy that after the pandemic we are here enjoying the cumbia of the Salvadorans,” said Francisco López from Panama.
The conduction of the Festival was in charge of the presenter and radio host Francisco “El Chele” González and by the Salvadoran presenter Luciana Sandoval. Later in the afternoon, spirits flared with the most anticipated presentations.
One of the most applauded artists was Marito Rivera and his Grupo Bravo, who also celebrated 50 years of artistic career together with the Salvadoran community. Rivera presented the cumbia adaptation of the song “Everybody Salsa,” which became famous in the 1980s.
The group that made everyone who were in the field dance dance was the Los Hermanos Flores Orchestra, which with its famous song “La Bala” made all the people get up from their chairs to dance to the sound of the cumbia.
Some families came from surrounding areas to the DMV to enjoy the event. María Salazar, excited, said that El Salvadoreñísimo is like a small oasis in which the assistants forget the strenuous work days they have throughout the year.
Salazar also said that this is his fourth festival and that “what I like the most is that with my husband we can dance and sing the cumbias of our town.”
Among the vendors they could not miss the stalls of the famous cheese pupusas, revueltas or pork rinds. El Salvadoreñísimo featured a great variety of Salvadoran cuisine that was enjoyed by the attendees.
Community Services
Several companies and organizations participated in the Festival bringing their services to the community. Among the groups attending the Festival had the participation of Go Vax MD, the assistance center for vaccination against COVID-19 of the health authority of that state, Go Vax, offered free vaccination for all those who required it and He also promoted with information the importance of receiving the dose to help stop the expansion of the coronavirus that still continues to affect the DMV area.
Attendees also received assistance and information on health insurance plans and family support options for Maryland residents on assisted housing payment assistance with local authorities.Of course, El Tiempo Latino was present with its booth where it distributed information through his last issue and also shared games with the families who were coming to the Festival. As every year the Festival of Salvadoranism had the support and participation of Goya products, a company that has sponsored the event since its inception. In addition, among the exhibitors There were lawyers and experts on the immigration issue who provided advice for people who required it.
Other events in Washington DC
The weekend was loaded with special events for the Latino community. In Washington DC, the Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser held the famous Parade of Nations, Fiesta DC, which marks the beginning of the Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations in the capital city. Delegations from all Latin American countries residing in the DMV area participated in the parade with their colorful costumes and presenting traditional dances of each country. The parade was led by Mayor Bowser who gave the starting flag for the parade. Then, one by one, the delegations went down Avenida Independencia and Calle 14 to Freedom Plaza.
Fiesta DC is Washington DC’s largest celebration that recognizes Hispanic heritage and pride. The celebrations coincide with the independence dates of Central America and Mexico and with the month of Hispanidad.The Festival is also part of the events that take place in DC to close the activities of this season of the year and to say goodbye to the summer. Prior to the grand parade, on Saturday the musical festival took place with the participation of international artists. This year’s main artist was the merenguero Toño Rosario, originally from the Dominican Republic.
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