OCEANSIDE — Oceanside celebrated La Noche Mexicana on Sept. 15 at the Civic Center plaza with festive song and dance and the traditional re-enactment of the “Grito de Dolores,” the revolutionary shout from the city of Dolores, Mexico, that began Mexico’s fight for independence from Spain. La Noche Mexicana is a traditional annual celebration held the night before Mexican Independence Day on Sept. 16.
“For the Mexicans, this day is so special,” Yolanda Iniguez, event committee member, said. “It’s like the Fourth of July.”
Entertainers shared dance and song from different periods and areas of Mexico. During the evening Grupo Calpulli Omeyocan performed pre-Hispanic Tezcatlipoca dances. Ballet Folklorico Tapatio dancers performed dances of Chihuahua, Durango and Jalisco, and Ballet Folklorico Tierra Caliente dancers performed dances of Yucatan and Veracruz.
“It’s an opportunity to come together and celebrate and bring all of the pieces of the culture together,” Brad Penner, library division manager of Oceanside Public Library, said.
“I believe that in this diverse multicultural society to keep celebrating what we did in our country of origin, in our culture of origin, is very important,” Carlos von Son, a professor at Palomar College, said. “We not only enrich the culture we belong to now but we continue those traditions in which we were raised.”
The event also celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month which is honored from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.
See video from the event at www.coastnewsgroup.com.
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