Gaithersburg Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

The City of Gaithersburg invites you to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with educational and cultural presentations and activities. Residents are encouraged to learn about and celebrate Hispanic culture and participate in local events and programs taking place throughout the month, many coordinated by the City’s Multicultural Affairs Committee (MAC). Explore the complete list of programs here. 

An official proclamation designating September 15 through October 15, 2022, as “Hispanic Heritage Month” in the City of Gaithersburg will be presented at the September 6 Mayor and City Council meeting. The public is welcome to attend the meeting at City Hall, watch it live on YouTube or watch it via Zoom by registering here.

The proclamation will be received by María Helena Malagón. María is the only child of Spanish Civil War refugees. She was born in the Dominican Republic and spent her childhood in Mexico, New York, and Washington D.C. She has lived in Gaithersburg for more than 40 years.

María’s interest and passion for multicultural issues led her to become one of the first ESOL teachers with Montgomery County Public Schools, including Gaithersburg Middle School. In 1984, she was selected to be the Director of the Division of ESOL/Bilingual Programs, a position she held until her retirement in 2002. As the Director, she brought together a highly talented multilingual/multicultural team of individuals who helped develop and implement instructional and support services for more than 11,000 students in 185 schools and their families. María served on numerous local, state, and national committees, advocating for English language learners.

After retiring, María began volunteering at Hero Dogs, a Gaithersburg-based service-dog training organization. With her Labradors, she makes therapy visits to hospitals, schools, and retirement communities including Asbury Methodist Village.

Activities and programs celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month include:

Evenings in Olde Towne: Quimbao Latin Band

Thursday, September 8, 6:30 – 8 p.m.

City Hall Concert Pavilion

Free

Bring a blanket or chair to enjoy the Latin sounds from Quimbao Latin Band.

In the Galleries: Hispanic Heritage Celebration Art Exhibit

Friday, September 9 – Sunday, November 13

Activity Center at Bohrer Park

Fee

Meet the artists at a reception on Thursday, September 15 at 7 p.m.

Hispanic Heritage Month Educational Display

Thursday, September 15 – Saturday, October 15

Activity Center at Bohrer Park

Free

Explore Gaithersburg’s Latinx community with an educational display depicting an anthropological analysis of the life stages of 1.5 Generation Latinx immigrants in Gaithersburg. Learn about the ways Latinx adolescents hold on to their culture and share it with our community. This event is sponsored by the Multicultural Affairs Committee in collaboration with the Gaithersburg Community Museum.

Tasty Books: Nacho’s Nachos
Saturday, September 17, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Casey Community Center
$5 per person

Register online here.

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with Nacho's Nachos: The Story Behind America's Favorite Snack. In this story by Sandra Nickel, meet Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya and learn the true story of how he invented the world's most beloved snack in a moment of culinary inspiration. The Tasty Books program brings stories to life with hands-on crafts and snack-making. Recommended for preschool-aged children (ages 2 to 8). Adult supervision required. Individual tickets must be purchased for each child and adult.

Community Museum Drop-In Activity

Saturday & Sunday, September 17 & 18, 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Community Museum

Free program
Stop by the Gaithersburg Community Museum to make a Guatemalan worry doll. Reservations are not required.

Hispanic Heritage Festival

Thursday, September 22, 5 – 6:30 p.m.

Benjamin Gaither Center

Free; registration required.

Register online here.

Join the Benjamin Gaither Center for its Hispanic Heritage Festival, a cultural extravaganza with traditional Mexican folk dance, an artifacts display, and food tastings. This event is sponsored by Asbury Methodist Village and the Benjamin Gaither Center with the collaboration of De Colores Mexican Folk Dance Group.

Dracula – 1931 Spanish-language version with English subtitles

Friday, October 14, 7:30 p.m.

Arts Barn

$10 per person

Purchase tickets online here.

While Tod Browning directed the English-language version of Dracula during the day, George Melford would direct the Spanish-language version at night using the same script and sets. Many consider the Spanish-language version to be the superior version of the two. While this version is longer by almost half an hour, there are no added scenes but each scene plays out longer with added dialogue. There are also more sound effects and bits of music in the Spanish version.

The roots of Hispanic heritage in North America span more than 500 years, and individuals sharing this heritage have made vast contributions to the strength, prosperity and culture of our nation. The observance celebrates the culture and traditions of U.S. residents who trace their cultural heritage to Spain, Mexico, and the Spanish-speaking nations of Central and South America and the Caribbean. The Hispanic American community is the largest ethnic minority in the United States, with the 2020 Census indicating that approximately 28.5 percent of the City of Gaithersburg’s population identify themselves as Hispanic or Latino, up from 24.2 percent in 2010.

The mission of the Multicultural Affairs Committee is to enrich our City through the promotion of understanding, respect, and appreciation of the many cultures of Gaithersburg. Learn more here.