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OCTOBER 2021
VOL. 06 NO. 07
Union celebrates Hispanic heritage By EmilyAnn Jackman Staff Writer Union Township’s sixth annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration drew a large crowd of residents to enjoy zesty Hispanic foods, festive music and games with friends and family at Biertuempful Park on Winslow Avenue on Friday, Sept. 17. Live music was provided by Armando Son Jimenez y Orquesta, Son Milanes, a mariachi band, flamenco and others. The event also featured food trucks and a beer garden. “We’re here to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, and we have bands from different Spanish-speaking countries. We have food, we have games for the kids, we have a beer tent and we just have an amazing atmosphere to celebrate the heritage, the culture — everything that is Hispanic,” assistant township administrator William Reyes said on Friday, Sept. 17. “Union is the second-most-diverse municipality in the county and the 10th in the state. A huge portion of that is Latinos and Hispanics, and we’re celebrating everything that Latinos and Hispanics have done in Union, Union County, in New Jersey and in all of the United States. It’s just a time to celebrate everything that’s Hispanic. “The township came together to do this. Our main sponsor is Colliers Engineering & Design. BCB Bank and Northfield Bank are also event sponsors,” he continued. “We have a plethora of food trucks and bands that run the gamut from Colombian salsa, Argentinian flamenco, Latin jazz, Mexican mariachis, so we try to cover a little bit of everything. Right now, within the first hour, we’re probably at about 200 and we’re expecting probably another 100 people or so by the end of the night. This event is unbelievable. We love this event, and this is one of our more successful events during the year, and it keeps getting bigger and bigger every year. It’s getting so big, we had to move locations for the first time. We’re very happy to have this every year and celebrate the culture, the history and everything that’s great about Latin America, Spanish-speaking countries, and Latinos and Hispanics in Union.” Union Township Committeeman Manuel Figueiredo said he thought they had outdone themselves with the sixth annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration.
Photo by EmilyAnn Jackman
Above, professional dancer and Broadway performer Roman Cruz, far left, teaches a salsa lesson during the Hispanic Heritage Celebration. “We’ve brought this to a larger venue. We used to have this in front of Town Hall and we’ve now expanded. Son Milanes band is performing right now and they’re a great band. The food is phenomenal. We’re here until 9:30 p.m. and there’s various acts who will be performing,” said Figueiredo on Friday, Sept. 17. “A lot of these people are eating and dancing to the sound of the music and it’s a great way to introduce those who are not familiar with some of the Hispanic culture and their food, heritage and music, which is the basis of all of a heritage of any ethnicity. It’s a great time to celebrate. We expect this event to really fill up, as there are more acts coming,” he continued.
“This event is just phenomenal. I’m married to a Hispanic, so it’s a great way to share some of what I am exposed to for the past 33 years to some of our residents who are not familiar with it.” Also there to enjoy the festivities was Deputy Mayor Joseph Florio, who was quick to point out how good it was to have something like this in the community once again. “It’s a great night. There’s beautiful music, people are dancing and it’s a lot of people here,” Florio said on Friday, Sept. 17. “It’s really for the Hispanic people to celebrate their heritage. It’s great food, great people and it’s just a great night. See UNION, Page 6