On Saturday, August 14, 2021, The Hispanic Festival 2021 was held in the city of Harrisonburg after it was canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
And precisely speaking of the virus that has caused havoc throughout the world, during this festival an informative session was held, where the latest was shared about the Delta variant that is circulating strongly in the area and around the world, and of other doubts that the community has regarding the current situation of this pandemic.
The Health Department was in charge of administering vaccines to all those interested in obtaining immunization to protect themselves and the community.
This festival was full of many surprises and activities for all attendees, from futsal tournament, handcraft displays, typical dances to represent countries such as El Salvador, Honduras and Mexico, to reaching the food court where people made long lines to taste some good tacos, pupusas or a dessert why not.
Various organizations were present to share with the community the services or programs they offer, as well as various local companies that were also inviting the community to work with them and to talk a little about the job opportunities that currently exist in the Valley.
The Futuro Latino Coalition for its part was offering information related to the prevention of substance use, the danger of tobacco consumption and alcohol abuse. The community was invited to use glasses to simulate the vision that a person has under the influence of alcohol to raise awareness of the dangers behind the wheel when driving after drinking alcoholic beverages.
The issue of opioid/opiate abuse is currently latent in the country and that is why one of the topics that was shared with the community is about the importance of knowing a little about deaths from causes of overdose due to consumption of prescription drugs or over-the-counter, but above all to know what can be done to intervene in case someone is facing a situation of this type, that is, how to save a life by knowing the signs and symptoms of a person who may be suffering an overdose .
People left with a good taste in their mouths having a moment of distraction, maintaining all the necessary controls in terms of safety and health.
The organizers set out to install a memorial, made up mainly of butterflies to honor the memory of each of those who lost the fight against the pandemic in the city of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.
The 2021 Hispanic Festival was full of color, music, dance, culture, gastronomy and other elements that make it unique. Thanks to all who make this event possible, volunteers, staff, organizations, and others, for keeping the Hispanic spirit and pride afloat to continue preserving the roots and identity.
