Westchester Roots series: Local Ecuadorian Community

Westchester Roots Celebrates Local Ecuadorian Community with Outdoor Festival

ArtsWestchester will celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Ecuador with a full-day outdoor festival on August 17 as part of its Westchester Roots series.

Dia de la Cultura Ecuatoriana , or A Day of Ecuadorian Culture, is an afternoon of music, dance, food, and family-friendly presentations that celebrates the diverse traditions of one of Westchester’s largest immigrant communities.

The event includes:

• participatory workshops for all ages in traditional Ecuadorian social dance
• Costume demonstrations and presentations on indigenous Kichwa language
• Traditional Ecuadorian foods and drinks prepared by local Ecuadorian-owned businesses
• Guests will also be invited to build a Chakana, a sacred Andean symbol representing balance and harmony, made from all natural materials

The festival, which is a collaboration between ArtsWestchester and the Village of Sleepy Hollow, will notably feature live music and dance performances intended to connect all members of the community, especially younger generations, to their ancestral traditions and cultural heritage.

Sleepy Hollow Community Liaison Diana Loja explains: “Events like these are an opportunity to empower the next generation, especially those born here or who arrived at a young age, to take pride in where they come from. They get to see their heritage valued in a public, joyful and respectful way. It’s a powerful representation of immigrant communities in the county.”

The Westchester Roots summer series produced by ArtsWestchester aims to represent and celebrate diverse communities across the county. Now in its fifth year, the series has successfully collaborated with Jamaican, Dominican, Mexican, Irish, Afghan, Chinese, Korean and Ghanaian artists and community groups, among others.

The final event following the Ecuadorian festival brings visitors into ArtsWestchester’s building for a Mooncake festival on September 20, which celebrates the full-harvest moon with an evening of music, dance, craft and food. For more info visit, https://artswestchester.org/programs/westchester-roots/

About ArtsWestchester
ArtsWestchester, founded in 1965, is New York State’s largest private not-for-profit arts council. The leading funder and advocate for the arts in Westchester and Rockland Counties, ArtsWestchester works to create an equitable, inclusive, vibrant and sustainable community in which the arts are integral to and integrated into every facet of life. Building on its 60-year legacy, ArtsWestchester advances arts and culture by providing grants, bringing artists into schools and community centers, advocating for the arts, and building audiences through diverse marketing initiatives. ArtsWestchester enriches the lives of everyone in the community and operates a multi-use gallery and home for the arts at 31 Mamaroneck Ave. in White Plains, New York. artsw.org