Date: September 26, 2012
Coronado National Memorial will offer a free family arts and crafts event on Saturday, October 6, from 10 am to 12 pm to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month. All ages are invited to experience and learn craft making of Mexican folk art by creating papel picados, a decorative craft made of perforated paper, flores de papel, paper flowers, and other Hispanic influenced crafts.
President Lyndon Johnson originally issued a proclamation in 1968 designating Hispanic Heritage Week as a time to celebrate and recognize the contributions Hispanic Americans have made to American society and culture and to honor five of our Central American neighbors who celebrate their independence in September. Congress later established National Hispanic Heritage Month in 1988, designating September 15 - October 15 of each year as a time to honor these cultures and our shared histories.
As a unit of the National Park Service, Coronado National Memorial commemorates and interprets the significance of Francisco Vásquez de Coronado's expedition and the resulting cultural influences of 16th century Spanish colonial exploration in the Americas. The creation of the Memorial was not to protect any tangible artifacts related to the expedition, but rather to provide visitors with an opportunity to reflect upon the impact the Coronado Entrada had in shaping the history, culture, and environment of the southwestern United States and its lasting ties to Mexico and Spain. The memorial does not charge an entry fee and this special event is free of charge.
For more information about the event, or about visiting Coronado National Memorial, contact the visitor center at (520) 366‑5515 ext. 2300 or visit www.nps.gov/coro.
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