Hispanic Heritage Month begins on September 15, and Avenida Party on the Plaza is celebrating with a variety of exciting visual and performing arts events — all free to the public, of course.
On Saturday, September 17, Avenida’s Plaza will come alive with visual art, music, dance and other festivities from 6 pm-10 pm in honor of the contributions and achievements of Latinos and Hispanic Americans.
DJ Mexican Black Bird will kick off the day with Afro-Tejana sounds, then mariachis with world-renowned lead singer (and Houston native) Vanessa Alonzo will perform.
Brazilian samba dancers from LD Dance Company will also take the stage, while Argentinian tango dancers will showcase bandoneon player Pablo di Lauro with dancer Susana Collins.
The main event is Charlie Perez and his Latin caravan band will perform popular musical styles from Latin America, including, Cuban, salsa and Brazilian samba.
Watch as local artist Gelson D. Lemus, aka w3r3on3, a Guatemalan-born resident of Houston, creates a live mural painting on the Avenida wharf while kids can enjoy face-painting or try out their creative skills at arts and crafts stations. The family-friendly day of fun includes shopping in an open-air market at Discovery Green’s Flea by Night.
Additionally, you'll be able to enjoy the visual works of local artist Guadalupe Hernandez with "Recuerdos de Juventud, Memories of My Youth," presented by Houston First Corp. It's on view through November 6 in the second-floor garage lobby of Partnership Tower.
Using photos taken on family trips to Mexico and his hometown of San Miguel de Allende, Hernandez reinterprets the image in intricate ink drawings. He expressively paints the human figures, often blurring the background to apply more detail to the individuals, drawing the audience’s attention to their personal stories and emotions. This uniquely and beautifully celebrates Hernandez's cultural identity with two countries.
Stop by this Saturday for Avenida's Party on the Plaza, then make time to revisit Hernandez's exhibition over the next few weeks.
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Avenida Houston is located between the George R. Brown Convention Center and Discovery Green Park.
Enjoy the visual works of local artist Guadalupe Hernandez.
