“Juntos Por Honduras” Marks Honduras Independence Day Celebration In Gaithersburg (PHOTOS)
Hondurans from all across the D.C. region celebrated Honduras Independence Day on Sept. 13 at a festival held at Bohrer Park in Gaithersburg. The country’s official Independence Day is Sept. 15.
Courtesy of Honduras Embassy.
The festival featured music, food, and consulate services where people had a chance to apply for new passports, birth certificates and other general services.
Ambassador of Honduras in the U.S. Jorge Milla Reyes shared a message with attendees from Honduras’ President Juan Hernandez Alvarado.
Reyes said the president is watching over the population and is proud of the event. He said the president always considered Hondurans living abroad a vital part of the country’s development.
The celebration officially started with the country’s national anthem. Honduran journalist Alex Banegas from Acción Centroamérica and Embassy of Honduras Spokesperson Karol Escalante, hosted the event.
Escalante said the community has reached out to the embassy to praise the event’s success.
This massive celebration lasted more than six hours and gathered approximately six thousand people, Escalante added.
According to Pew Research Center, an estimated 702,000 Hondurans live in the U.S.
From Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, the Latino community celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month. Besides Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Brazil celebrate their independence day in September.
-
- PHOTO | Embassy of Honduras
-
- PHOTO | Embassy of Honduras
-
- PHOTO | Embassy of Honduras
-
- PHOTO | Embassy of Honduras
-
- PHOTO | Embassy of Honduras
-
- PHOTO | Embassy of Honduras
-
- PHOTO | Embassy of Honduras
-
- PHOTO | Embassy of Honduras
This is always one of the best parties of the year. I didn’t go this year because my parents were in town, but I’ve been in the past. There is music from several different Honduran genres and the folkloric dancing. The food is the best in the area. Unfortunately the food lines are extremely long, but it’s worth it if you don’t know how to make Honduran food yourself.
This independence day is better sweet. A few years ago Honduran folk singer Guillermo Anderson made the trek to Gaithersburg to perform. He sang a song that made me cry. He died last summer from thyroid cancer.