By Susan Fisher, MPL—
MUNCIE, IN—The public is invited to enjoy two upcoming Muncie Public Library (MPL) events in the coming weeks.
A festival celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month is scheduled for Saturday, September 24. The event will feature Mexican folkloric dance performances by Grupo Folclórico Macehuani, from 1-2 p.m. in the garden area. Participants should bring their own chairs or blankets. Authentic Mexican food will be available to purchase from the Tacos de la Torre food truck scheduled to be in the area from 1-3 p.m. The event will also feature a presentation by Ball State University Professors Dr. Giraldo-Garcia and Dr. Jörn Seemann. The topic is “Latin American Identities: Our Values and Contributions.” The presentation starts at 2:15 p.m. in the Maring-Hunt Library meeting room.
According to Laura Janiga, an Adult Services Supervisor at MPL, the festival fulfills an important part of the MPL mission. “One of Muncie Public Library’s regular objectives is to offer programs that are informative, creative, and relevant to the needs and interests of all groups in the community. After several years of scaled-back programs due to the pandemic, we are excited to offer this multi-faceted cultural event,” she said.
Hispanicheritagemonth.gov provides the following information regarding National Hispanic Heritage Month, “Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15.”
The public is also invited to celebrate fall at the Fourth Annual Scarecrow Festival, also at Maring-Hunt Library, on Saturday, October 1 from 2-4 p.m. The event will include free refreshments (while supplies last), games, crafts, and live musical performances by local band Eartherial. The event will also feature a scarecrow contest. The winners in each category will be determined by popular vote at the event. Scarecrow contest rules and registration forms should be picked up at the library prior to the event. Scarecrow entries must be set up for display by 1 p.m. the day of the event. The three contest categories are: individual, youth/family, and organization/group.
Scarecrow Fest winning entry 2021. Scarecrow Fest photo by: Spenser Querry, Muncie Public Library
According to Mary Lou Gentis, Branch Manager of Maring-Hunt Library, the event serves as a fun community event for everyone, with special emphasis on the neighborhoods surrounding the library. “We have established our library and our garden area as a community gathering place for residents to garden and socialize, to expand their learning at planned programs, and to enjoy recreational activities such as the Scarecrow Festival and through use of the newly created health track.”
The Scarecrow Festival and contest prizes are sponsored by the 8twelve Coalition.
Maring-Hunt Library is located at 2005 S. High Street, Muncie. All events are free and open to the public. For more event information visit the library website at www.munciepubliclibrary.org
