The Springfield Museums, in partnership with the Mi Museo Committee, invites the community to celebrate the richness and diversity of Latino arts and culture at the fourth annual Latino Arts Festival on Friday, August 28. The free festival features a special afternoon lecture followed by an evening celebration with live music, art, family activities, and gallery experiences.
Leading into National Hispanic Heritage Month, the Festival celebrates the vibrant artistic traditions and cultural contributions of the Puerto Rican, Cuban, Afro-Caribbean, Mexican, Dominican, Central American, and South American communities that enrich Greater Springfield.
“We are proud to bring our community together for an evening that celebrates the many voices, traditions, and artistic expressions that make Latino culture so vibrant,” said Lydia Martinez Alvarez, chair of the Mi Museo Committee. “From inspiring conversations to music, artmaking, and family activities, the Latino Arts Festival offers something for everyone while highlighting the importance of representation, storytelling, and cultural connection.”
The Festival begins at 3:30 pm with a featured lecture by Dr. Ariana A. Curtis, Curator of Latinx Studies at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Born and raised in Western Massachusetts, Dr. Curtis returns home for her first public lecture in the region, “From 413 to DC: Springfield’s Influence on Latinx Stories at the Smithsonian.” She will discuss how growing up in the Springfield area shaped her curatorial work and continues to influence Latinx representation at the Smithsonian and beyond.
The festival continues from 5–8 pm on the Quadrangle Green and in the Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts with complimentary hors d’oeuvres provided by NOSH, a cash bar, and a DJ and photo booth by Cumba Entertainment.
At 6 pm, visitors can enjoy a lively performance by Bomba de Aqui, celebrating the vibrant rhythms and traditions of Puerto Rican bomba music and dance.
Guests are also invited to experience interactive floral art with Idalia Long of Social Haus Displays by creating their own decorative palm fan using dried floral materials. Families can enjoy hands-on art activities including coloring paper fans and maracas, while children can take home a complimentary book.
Throughout the evening, museum docents will lead guided tours of two exhibitions from the Museo de Arte de Ponce in Puerto Rico, Legacies of Surrealism and Markets, Foodways, and the Essence of Place, offering visitors a deeper understanding of the artwork, the artists, and the cultural stories behind each exhibit.
The Latino Arts Festival is free and open to the public. Funded in large part by a state earmark sponsored by Rep. Carlos González, Sen. Adam Gomez, and the Springfield Legislative delegation, the festival was organized by the Mi Museo Committee and supported by El Sol Latino, Full Power Radio, MassLive Media, MassMutual, and New England Public Media.
Legacies of Surrealism and Markets, Foodways, and the Essence of Place were generously lent by Museo de Arte de Ponce as part of Art Bridges’ Partner Loan Network and are sponsored locally by Connecticut Public.