Sept. 15 started the beginning of National Hispanic Heritage Month, and there will be plenty of celebrations going on around the country, state, and city.
Kicking off the festivities in Cumberland County, Dirtbag Ales located at 5435 Corporation Drive, Hope Mills, is hosting the 2024 Latin Celebration on Sept. 21 from noon to 10 p.m. A family-friendly event, the celebration will be jam-packed with food, music, vendors, and a celebration of the vibrant Latin heritage. This event is free to all and a great opportunity to engage and explore all of the beautiful and delicious offerings of the Latin community.
This year’s event is presented by Dirtbag Ales, Dirty Whiskey, and sponsored by Black Hive Ink & Arts and promises a full day of activities centered around Latin culture. Starting the festivities with a good dance, attendees can catch a noon Zumba class to get warmed up for the DJ performances.
At 4 p.m., 6 p.m., and 8 p.m., there will be live performances of Honduran Folklore and Punta by Xiomara Gris and Tonya Ford will be performing Salsa routines for the crowd to enjoy. For those unfamiliar with Honduran Folklore, dances tell a story, oftentimes of traditions, religious ceremonies, and families, carrying the tradition of the community on through dance.
Punta is a type of Honduran Folklore dance, used in social settings such as parties. Punta is a more modern version of HF dancing, that includes heavy drums and lively tempos.
Both have origins in Honduras, Belize, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. Salsa originated in Cuba in the 1900’s, traveled to Puerto Rico and sparked a new life in New York. A seductive and sensual dance, salsa is meant to ignite the flame between dancers.
DJ Sixx and DJ Q will hit the turntables from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., keeping the energy high and the celebration going. Nestled among the woods right off I95, Dirtbag Ales will provide the perfect backdrop to salsa or bachata the evening away under the Carolina stars.
Local vendors will be set up for browsing and shopping. And no Latin Celebration would be complete without food. At the heart of many cultures, food is the thing that brings the people together. It’s the part of one's culture that is easiest to share.
Latin food will be on full display at the celebration. With all of the great food options, there is NO outside food and drink allowed. This year’s food lineup includes:
Latin Flavours Street Cuisine
Taco Arepa
Baja Dogs
Hollywood Taco Truck
Lo Diferente Mexican Truck
Flakis Mexi Snacks
Allisons
Dirtbag Ales has been supporting Latin Heritage events for over 3 years.
“We were the co-host for the local Chinchorreo with Boricuas EN NC for 3 years. The event outgrew our facility in 2022. We have hosted smaller Latin celebrations since,” said Shannon Loper, Dirtbag Ales Operation Manager.
Organizers and sponsors are looking forward to another year of fun, food and celebration.