NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Hispanic Heritage Month is officially underway and runs through Oct. 15.
The month is a time to celebrate the culture and history of Hispanic and Latinx communities and to highlight their contributions.
Arkansans packed Argenta Plaza in North Little Rock on Saturday to celebrate art, food, live music and dancing.
“All the contributions that the Hispanic community makes towards the community at large,” Seis Puentes Executive Director Raul Fernandez said.
Seis Puentes has been hosting the festival for three years now.
“Every year it's gotten bigger and bigger and more vendors, more dance, more music," Fernandez said. "We're just here celebrating our culture, our people, our music, our food."
The goal is to highlight the contributions of the Hispanic and Latinx communities of North Little Rock.
“It is part of what makes our community so special,” Fernandez said.
The festival also gives young Latinos an opportunity to showcase talents that are part of their culture like Vania, who is a singer.
Vania said it was wonderful to perform on stage, but more than anything is happy that more people are learning about the culture she loves in the city she calls home.
“I feel very proud like I can represent my culture in a very public way,” Vania said.
The organizers of the event hope everyone walks away with a sense of community.
“To leave with a little bit of visibility," Fernandez said. "I want everyone to celebrate their culture, their music, everything... If you aren't a Hispanic community member, I want you to come get a taste of it, enjoy it and tell people about it.”
For more celebrations happening this month, click here.