Pueden encontrar la versión en español aquí.
The Anderson Ranch Arts Center will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and the rich history of Latine culture during its “Festival del Rancho” on Saturday afternoon.
The annual event in Snowmass Village features dance lessons, live music, and a Ballet Folklórico performance — plus tacos and sweets, arts and crafts and other cultural demonstrations.
But last year, the real star of the festival was a member of the crowd, not much older than a toddler, dressed like a pint-sized cowboy and completely mesmerized by the festivities.
“I remember him clearly — he was amazing,” said Claudia Pawl, the returning emcee of the event. (Pawl is also an interpreter who runs Convey Language Solutions and a Latin dance performer who teaches lessons as the founder of Mezcla Socials.)
Pawl immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico in the early ‘90s, and knows just how good it feels to share her culture with kids who are growing up in the valley now.
“It is pride. There's pride in there,” Pawl said. “There's connection, there's culture, and I think teaching others to live it and enjoy it will pass it on to further generations in the future.”
For Pawl, festivals like this one at Anderson Ranch allow her to honor the culture she grew up with.
“We … live in a cultural world that is filled with artistic richness, and you see that in the murals, you see that in the dancing, you see that in the way we live our lives,” Pawl said. “And having immigrated to the United States, and now being part of these festivals, for me, that feels like a slice of home, like a slice of that culture that I don't get to live every day.”
It’s also a chance to learn about other forms of Latine expression, she said.
“It allows me to enjoy art in different forms that maybe I wasn't exposed to when I was a child in Mexico,” she said.
The Festival del Rancho is free for all ages to attend, and registration is encouraged but not required. Dance lessons start at 1:15 p.m., followed by a live band called Sontres and a performance by the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Folklórico dancers. The festival will wrap up with a community dance party, featuring a DJ and performances by a Mezcla Socials ensemble and the Roaring Divas drag group. The celebration concludes at 5 p.m.
And next month, Anderson Ranch will continue its programming focused on Latine culture and community with visiting artists, a gallery exhibition, a panel on art and belonging and a workshop for local educators. For more information, visit andersonranch.org.
