El Dia de los Ninos Children's Festival this Saturday
Middletown Children in cities around the country will voice their wishes, hopes and dreams for the future as they celebrate the fifth annual El Dia de los Ninos Children’s Festival. Children’s days are traditionally observed in Latin America and other countries to honor children in the family and community. However no such day currently exist in the United States. The Sarah Wells Girl Scout Council invites all children and families of Orange County to join in the celebration, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 28, in Festival Square, Middletown. This year, over 500 children and their families are expected to attend and participate in the games, performances and traditional Mexican refreshments such as nieves (snow cones). Come and experience Mexican folklorico and see modern Latin dance groups perform. Macaroni the Clown is scheduled to perform entertaining children young and old. “What started as a celebration with Latino flavor has become a unifying event of all the cultures of a community,” says Rebecca Barrera, president of the National Latino Children’s Institute, which began organizing the event in 1998. “Because El Dia de los Ninos honors all children, everyone feels welcome to bring their own cultures and background to the celebration.” “In some ways the celebration is like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, when families spend time together recognizing the relationships between parent and child, brother and sister, teacher and student,” Barrera continues. “Adults do special things for children n fix their favorite meal, attend a family festival or help decorate a tricycle for the children’s parade in their town.” County Executive, Edward Diana has declared El Dia de los Ninos a county-wide day of celebration for the past three years. This event is made possible in part with funding provided by New York State Division of Youth and Family Services administrated by Orange County Youth Bureau. For information, call the Sarah Wells Girl Scout Council at 361-2898 or Millie Rivera-Velez at 343-4425.