Mount Kisco prepares for Italian, Hispanic festivals

By MARTIN WILBUR

If you’re looking to immerse yourself with delicious food, music and dancing and an array of fun activities, Mount Kisco is the place to be next weekend.

Music and dance from around Latin America will be one of the highlights of the Hispanic Heritage Festival in Mount Kisco on Oct. 3. RECORDER FILE PHOTO

The community is hosting events that will celebrate two cultures that comprise a large part of the village — the Italian Heritage Festival, which gets underway late Friday afternoon and runs through Sunday, and the Hispanic Heritage Festival on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 3, where the public can rejoice in the various cultures of Latin America.

Both festivals are in their third year, and together it promises to make for a great time for anyone visiting the downtown. The Italian Heritage Festival will be located at Kirby Plaza while the Hispanic Heritage Festival will be held at Fountain Park, the space between the library and Village Hall.

For former village trustee Angie Garcia-Guerra, who once again leads the planning for the Hispanic festival, celebrating the heritage of people who make up such a large portion of the community is vitally important.

“I think it’s very meaningful to the village, especially when we have the representation of about 50% Latino, and while not everyone can attend, whether it’s from other obligations or what have you, I think it matters a lot to all that we have this event and we keep it going in spite of the climate with what’s happening right now, where immigrants are not being painted in the best way,” Garcia-Guerra said. “So, I think now, more than ever, this festival is very

important.”

Filippo Simone, founder and president of the Italian American Club of Northern Westchester, partnered a couple of years ago with Locali, the Italian restaurant at the Mount Kisco train station, on celebrating their heritage sometime close to Columbus Day weekend. Along with the food, there will be vendors and a carnival with rides for parts of all three days extending from Kirby Plaza to a portion of the South Moger parking lot. 

A car show with upwards of 100 cars will be the highlight on the third day, starting on Sunday morning.

“I’m so looking forward to next weekend,” Simone said. “I hope that the weather is good and everybody enjoys the event as much as we do and it works for the people of the village, too.”

They added to the carnival this year with rides to attract more families and their children, Simone said. The festival is on Friday and Saturday, from 4 to 11 p.m., and on Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. There is no rain date.

“It is for the community,” he said. 

For the Hispanic Heritage Festival, which will be between noon and 6 p.m., all food vendors this year will be Mount Kisco restaurants, adding a local flavor to the day, Garcia-Guerra said. Establishments include Monarca, Azteca, El Rinconcito Chapin Deli and Maya Restaurant and they will be joined by Boba Bar + Juicery.

Music and dance from three distinct regions of Latin America will perform for the crowds. Mariachi Sol Mixteco representing Central America will start off the entertainment. New to the festival is Spirits N Motion 3.0, representing the Caribbean and will be performing Bomba y Plena dance and then provide bachata dance lessons.

The festival will close with Ecuadorian folk dancers who represent South America.

DJ Hefe, Hugo Pasat, returns from last year bringing music and providing the audio for the performers throughout the day. 

Garcia-Guerra said the festival received the largest amount of donations in its short history, including sponsorships from Northern Westchester Hospital, New England Lumber and Rivera Toyota. Gift cards totaling about $1,000 have also been supplied and will be given away through trivia and games from a variety of Mount Kisco businesses. 

Local community organizations such as Neighbors Link, The Pantry, the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester, and For the People and the Kids, among others, will also be part of the day.

The rain date for the Hispanic Heritage Festival is the following Saturday, Oct. 10.