The Springfield Museums will host a Family Fiesta Day on Saturday, Oct. 17, featuring performances of traditional music and folk tales from Puerto Rico along with hands-on activities, exhibits of photographs and handcrafted musical instruments, and a special documentary screening. The Fiesta is being presented as part Herencia Latina 2015-16, a nine-month Pioneer-Valley-wide exploration of Latino history and culture in the Pioneer Valley and beyond being organized by Pioneer Valley History Network. The event is also part of the Museums’ Family Fun series, which is funded by the TD Charitable Foundation.
The day’s performances will begin with a lively re-telling The Tale of Juan Bobo by CactusHead Puppets (11 a.m., Community Room, Springfield City Library). That afternoon, visitors can enjoy an interactive journey Latin American culture, music and history by MarKamusic, (2 p.m., Davis Auditorium, D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts).
At 3:15 p.m. in the Science Museum’s Tolman Auditorium, the Museums will host a special screening of Episode V: Prejudice and Pride from the six-part, NEH-supported documentary film series “The Latino Americans,” created for PBS in 2013 by the WETA public television station. The award-winning series chronicles the history of Latinos in the United States from the 16th century to present day. Following the screening will be a discussion led by UMass Professor Luis Marente.
Visitors can also enjoy two related exhibits at the Wood Museum of Springfield History. “Faces of the North End” is an exhibit of evocative photographs by William Hughes featuring images of the Latino community in Springfield’s North End taken in 1991. They show, in his words, “an ever-present and quiet, underlying source of strength and optimism…visible even in those individuals who had lived a life of much hardship and strife.” Also on view near the main entrance to the Wood Museum will be a display of beautifully crafted stringed instruments titled “A Commitment of a Lifetime” by Will Cumpiano, who is renowned for his skills as a cuatro maker (the traditional instrument of Puerto Rico). Cumpiano will give a presentation about his work as a luthier in the Science Museum’s Tolman Auditorium at 12 PM. Afterward, visitors can attend a “meet and greet” with both Hughes and Cumpiano in the Wood Museum (1:30 p.m., Springfield History Library and Archives).
Other highlights of the day’s events include:
- Drop-in art activities in the City Library’s Children’s Room (9 a.m. – 5 p.m.) and the Science Museum’s Science Workshop (11 a.m. – 4 p.m.)
- Family Science Adventures, Science Museum (11 a.m – 2 p.m.)
- Art activities, Art Discovery Center, GWV Smith Museum, (12 – 4 p.m.)
- Planetarium shows (11:15 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 1 p.m., & 2 p.m.; additional fee required)
Herencia Latina 2015-16 is spearheaded and coordinated by the Pioneer Valley History Network and the Springfield Public Library, programming is presented by partners Casa Latina Northampton, Holyoke Community College, L.I.S.A. (Latino and International Students Association at H.C.C.), Holyoke Public Library, Springfield Museums, Springfield City Library, Turners Falls RiverCulture, and Wistariahurst Museum.
The project is funded by grants from the American Library Association, National Endowment for the Humanities, and Mass Humanities, and supported by El Sol Latino, Nuestras Raices, WGBY Public Television, and The Center for New Americans.