The word “Guelaguetza” translates as “offering” or “exchange of gifts” in Zapotec, an indigenous Mexican language. And the annual Gueleguetza festival in the southeastern Mexican state of Oaxaca is an earth-based celebration related to the worship of corn and the Zapotec corn god. Activities include costumes, food, masks, music, offerings, parades, and the Pineapple Dance.
Ballet Folklórico Mexicano de Nueva York, which has been performing for more than 40 years, presents Guelaguetza at Socrates Sculpture Park in Long Island City on Sunday, July 28, at noon.
Attendance is free, and reservations are not required. To add some spice to the fun, vendors will sell Mexican food and crafts.
It’s not near a subway station, but the Q104 bus has a stop across the street from Socrates Sculpture Park’s entrance at 32-01 Vernon Blvd. The public space is located at the banks of the East River with fantastic views of Roosevelt Island and Manhattan’s Upper East Side. It’s also NYC’s only public area dedicated to large-scale creations.
Image: Socrates Sculpture Park