Special to the Times-Free Press
The City of Boston announced the celebration of Latino Heritage Month with Fiesta en la Plaza, a diverse program of cultural activities that will take place over four weekends in the renovated City Hall Plaza.
The program brings together Latin American artists residing in Boston who will delight the audience with musical presentations, comparsas, dance classes, poetry readings, documentaries, and an artists’ panel about Afro-Latin art and culture. The series of events is produced by Ágora Cultural Architects, a company founded and directed by Latin American women, with the support of the Office of Arts and Culture of the Mayor’s Office.
“Our Latin American communities are an integral part of Boston’s vibrant cultural presence, and we honor their contributions during Latinx Heritage Month and beyond. We are excited to announce Fiesta en la Plaza, where Boston residents can celebrate and learn about the diversity of Latin American culture through a variety of programming all month long”, said Mayor Michelle Wu.
Elsa Mosquera-Sterenberg, Ágora’s Principal, explained that Fiesta en la Plaza “invites us to meet friends and families to celebrate everything that unites us. With Fiesta en la Plaza, we evoke that traditional community meeting space that our parents and grandparents had in their towns of origin.” Therefore, the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture chose the City Hall Plaza to hold the events.
The opening during the Inauguration Day on September 16 will feature a comparsa by the marvelous Puerto Rican theater group Agua, Sol y Sereno, famous for being the creators of the “cabezudos” who co-starred in the opening of the 2023 Grammy Awards with Bad Bunny. The artistic parade will include Jorge Arce, Verónica Robles and his mariachi, Claudio Ragazzi’s Jazz Tango, and Eguie Castrillo and his orchestra.
During the following weekends, the public will enjoy the cuatrista Fabiola Méndez and her trio, the presentation of Latin American films by CineFest Latino Boston, music by Clave and Blues, salsa classes, and a conversation between Afro-Latin artists. The month-long celebration will conclude with the presentation of the Venezuelan harpist Eduardo Betancourt.
You can find detailed programming information at culturalagora.com/fiesta-en-la-plaza and Agora’s Social Media.
Full Schedule of Events:
WELCOME FIESTA
SEPT. 16, 12 – 7 p.m.
Jorge Arce – Agua, Sol y Sereno – Eguie Castrillo
Verónica Robles – Claudio Ragazzi
CUATRO & POETRY
SEPT. 22, 7- 9 p.m.
Poetry reading by Yara Liceaga
Performance by Fabiola Méndez Trio
SALSA NIGHT
SEPT. 23, 6 – 8:30 p.m.
Salsa Class by El Bonche in Boston
Performance by Clave & Blues
CINEFEST LATINX BOSTON
OCT. 5, 3 – 8 p.m.
CineFest Latino Extended day
Short films: “De Todo un Poco” (Puerto Rico, US, Panama, Mexico)
Bailaora (Documentary, US/Venezuela)
Ariel (Narrative, Canada/Argentina)
CLOSING FIESTA
OCT. 14, 2 – 7 p.m.
Afro Latinx Artists Panel moderated by Newman Fellow Cristela Guerra & Concert by harpist Eduardo Betancourt
The Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture in the City of Boston enhances the quality of life, the economy, and the design of the City through the arts. The role of the arts in all aspects of life in
Boston is reinforced via equitable access to arts and culture in every community, its public institutions, and public places. Key areas of work include support to the cultural sector through grants and programs, as well as the production and permitting of art in public places. Learn more about the office at boston.gov/arts
Ágora Cultural Architects is a cultural undertaking founded and led by women with the aim of aiding in the development and visibility of Latino arts and culture. Its objective is to create, empower and promote the sustainability of the movers and shakers of Latin American culture in the United States and Puerto Rico. Ágora does this by providing solutions and optimizing tools so that creators and organizations can reach their objectives. They support organizations to develop audiences, produce events, create audiovisual and literary projects, identify funds, and support professional development. Ágora’s knowledge about the creative and cultural ecosystem of Puerto Rico is supported by the five years that its leader and cofounder, Elsa Mosquera Sterenberg, spent as director of the Villa Victoria Center for the Arts in Boston, MA, during which she led artistic seasons with Puerto Rican representation across a spectrum of various genres.