Join us for these evening events filled with fun for your whole family.
In small towns around Mexico, community members come together informally on the night of the full moon to share stories, poetry and music. Join us as this tradition is celebrated several times throughout the year.
Special Featured Performer:
Olga Loya: We are thrilled to welcome back this dynamic storyteller as our featured performer. Olga began performing improvisations as a young girl while growing up in East Los Angeles. She was inspired early on by the stories of her Mexican grandmother and her father. Today, she specializes in everything from folktales, myths, and her own personal stories. We invite you to join us and hear her relate rich and captivating tales. Olga is an accomplished storyteller and teacher and has performed and taught workshops at festivals all over California and all across the country. To learn more about Olga, visit her Web site.
Grupo Folklórico Yolotli: Founded by Maestra Blanca Carbajal and her daughter, Maestra Melvis Cruz, the group’s mission is to preserve and share Mexican heritage through colorful and lively representations of folklore, dance and music. Yolotli Guerrerense presents traditional Mexican dances through a creative blend of authentic intricate steps and mixed choreographies that originated in the Mexican state of Guerrero.
The team is made up of dancers ages 4 to 25 years old with various levels of experience. The group’s founders goal is to promote community safety by offering children a safe place, off the streets, where they can express their artistic skill. Maestras Carbajal and Cruz also seek to instill a sense of discipline, responsibility, personal development, and teamwork in the young dancers. The group’s home base is in the Willow Glen community of San Jose. Grupo Yolotli performs all over the city of San Jose at private events and has even entertained the Mayor of San Jose.
Grupo Folklórico Los Quetzales de San José: We are pleased to present this new dance group to our audience. Led by Maestras Sharon and Tanya Benitez, the group is comprised of four different elementary school folklórico classes from all over San Jose. Young dancers range in age from 4 to 11. The group performs dances from various regions of Mexico such as Jalisco, Veracruz, Sinaloa, Michoacan, Guerrero and more. Students learn about the history and customs of each region through lectures, games and videos. The young dancers who will be performing for our Lunada are from Luther Burbank School and have only been together about a year! Los Quetzales have performed at various school events and local community gatherings.
But wait, there’s more!
- Visit our brand new exhibit, Voyage to Vietnam: Celebrating the Tet Festival, where you will discover the beauty, sights, and sounds of modern day Vietnam!
- Visit the Art Loft where you can draw fantastic fruit formations!
- Don’t forget the free food and drinks.
This celebration is created in collaboration with community partner organizations.