Downtown Graham was transformed into a vibrant hub of music, food and community Sept. 28 as the Esperanza Festival returned with performances, vendors and cultural celebrations.
What began four years ago as a small event in the Children’s Museum of Alamance County parking lot has now blossomed into one of Alamance County’s most anticipated cultural gatherings, drawing families, students, community members, and visitors from across the region.
Nicole Gutierrez, a member of the planning committee and representative of the Crossroads Sexual Assault Response and Resource Center, said the event as a community celebration “with a Latin flavor.”
“This is a real opportunity to get to know each other and be reintroduced to each other, reminded that we’re all part of Alamance County,” Gutierrez said, “We all have something to teach each other and learn from each other.”
Emilia Suarez, who has been involved with the festival for five years as both a dancer and volunteer coordinator, remembers when the festival fit into the parking lot of the Children’s Museum.
“Now it’s the whole street,” Suarez said. It’s a big event and we have a lot of people here.”
For Suarez, being able not only to organize but also to share her culture is more than just entertainment; it’s about passing culture on.
“My goal is to transmit my culture to the children, to families, to the communities,” she said. “Through dance, they can know a little more about my country.”
The festival also highlighted other performers, including Francisca Campos, a member of Folklor Mexicano, a dance troupe from Durham, North Carolina. For the festival, her group presented dances from several Mexican states such as Jalisco and Nuevo León. For Campos, dance is both personal and a source of cultural pride.
“I feel proud to represent my culture through dance,” Campos said.
Dance troupe, Folklor Mexicano perform on stage at the Esperanza Festival on Sept. 28in Graham.
Beyond performing, Campos also participated as a vendor, selling artisanal Mexican clothing and accessories. Having attended the festival for several years, she has witnessed its growth.
“It doesn’t matter where the festival is, I just love participating in events that bring the Latin community together,” she said.
Local businesses also had the chance to shine. James Altamirano, an employee of his family’s coffee shop, Jingle Jungle Express, brought their coffee trailer to the event.
Francisca Campos at her vendor booth with Mexican artisanal clothing and jewelry on Sept. 28 during the Esperanza Festival in Graham.
Altamirano said that his father built the trailer by hand, and the family now serves coffee at markets and festivals across the region.
“It’s amazing to see the community come out and support local Hispanic and Latino businesses,” Altamirano said.
Having attended since 2023, he has watched Esperanza expand significantly.
“The amount of vendors, the stages, the performances, it’s incredible,” Altamirano said. “Overall, it’s just fun being out here, meeting people, and sharing our culture.”
Gutierrez said Esperanza is also a way to honor Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.
“We all have value,” Gutierrez said.“We all have something to give.”