The atmosphere was especially festive at Plaza Mariachi on Sept. 13.
Inside, a group of kids danced tirelessly. Intricate dresses flowed in the air and the sound of stomping feet kept beat with the music, punctuated by the sounds of whistles and cheers from the watching crowd.
They were Raíces de mi Tierra Grupo Folklorico, a Mexican folk dance group based in Nashville dedicated to preserving Mexican roots through dance.
A half hour later, they’d get a chance to rest. But it wouldn’t be long before they were doing it all over again. Just a few minutes after leaving the stage, the group filed outside to perform once more, this time in the blistering summer heat.
And that was only the beginning. It was just a few hours into a full day of Fiestas Patrias
festivities at Plaza Mariachi, packed with live music, cultural traditions and vendors celebrating Hispanic heritage and the upcoming Mexican Independence Day on Sept. 16.
What are Mexican Independence Day and National Hispanic Heritage Month?
The day commemorates the moment when Father Miguel Hidalgo, a Mexican Catholic priest and prominent leader of the Mexican War of Independence, called for Mexico’s rebellion against Spanish rule in September 1810.
Hidalgo’s call, known as "El Grito de Dolores" and named after the town of Dolores, Mexico, where it was originally made, sparked an 11-year war culminating on Aug. 24, 1821, with Spain signing the Treaty of Córdoba and formally recognizing Mexican independence.
Each year, the holiday kickstarts with another El Grito de Dolores on the evening of Sept. 15
The celebratory mood at Plaza Mariachi also served as something of a kickoff for National Hispanic Heritage Month, which is observed from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 and celebrates the history, traditions and cultural diversity of Hispanic and Latino Americans.
The beginning of the observance on Sept. 15 also coincides with the day that five other Latin American countries celebrate their independence from Spain: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Honduras. Chile’s independence day falls not long after on Sept. 18.
If you missed joining in on the festivities at Plaza Mariachi Sept. 13, there are still more chances to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month in Nashville through the next month.
The Nashville Zoo, for example, is partnering with Conexión Americas to host a Hispanic Heritage Festival Sept. 26, including a full lineup of cultural performances, community partners and interactive booths.
Austin Hornbostel is the Metro reporter for The Tennessean. Have a question about local government you want an answer to? Reach him at ahornbostel@tennessean.com.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Plaza Mariachi kicks off National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations
