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PAST NEWS ARCHIVE
December 10, 2001
Contact: Patricia Fraga, Austin Public Library, (512) 974-7528
Fax: (512) 974-7442
15th Annual Fiesta Navideña at Riverside Drive Branch
Thursday, December 20, 2001 the Riverside Drive Branch
of the Austin Public Library, 2410-C East Riverside Drive will
hold it's annual Mexican Christmas Festival for adults and children.
Activities will begin at 6:30 p.m. and last till 8:30 p.m.;
a Mexican Posada will begin the festivities—in Mexico, las
Posadas are celebrated nine days before Christmas to commemorate
the journey of Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem, searching
for posadas (lodging) each night. The posadas are carried out
during this time period with a gay fiesta which is climaxed by
breaking the piñata. The posada will end at the Riverside branch
and the children will be invited to break the piñata. Holiday
stories, songs, and a special visit from Father Christmas along
with traditional Mexican food of the season will all be part of
the Fiesta Navideña at the Riverside Drive Branch.
This has been an annual event for 15 years—the event began
with Managing Librarian, Elissa Ballesteros. Having lived in Mexico
for 25 years she was familiar with the Mexican tradition and wanted
to promote awareness of library services among the Hispanic community.
Ballesteros, organized and held the first Posada in 1987 with
assistance from Isidro and Manuela Guerrero and their children.
The Guerrero family had a long history of leading posadas in the
Montopolis neighborhood. It has been a very popular event for
the community and over 200 people attend each year. "This event
attracts many patrons who normally do not have the leisure time
to visit the library. We take advantage of this event to make
them aware of the many services that will enhance their daily
lives, such as tutoring help, activities for children, and computer
classes," says Elissa Ballesteros, Managing Librarian. "For
the non-Hispanic patrons it gives them the opportunity to learn
about the culture and customs of Mexico. For the Spanish speaking
patrons who do not speak English, they can feel at home with the
Riverside Branch bilingual staff."
Admission is free and the public is invited to attend. Fiesta
Navideña is sponsored by the Friends of the Austin Public Library.
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