PALM COAST, Fla. — Vibrant traditional dress, authentic cuisine and spirited dancing filled the African American Museum and Cultural Center of Florida on Saturday as the Hispanic American Cultural Society brought the community together for a festive celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.
The annual Hispanic Heritage Dinner Dance showcased traditions from Latin America, Central America and the Caribbean while highlighting the importance of preserving those customs for future generations.
“This dance, the Hispanic Heritage Dinner Dance, is in honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month,” said Ramon Marrero, founder and president of the Hispanic American Cultural Society. “We celebrate it every year, and we try to bring a mixture of culture from different Hispanic and Latin American countries, Central America and the Caribbean.”
For Marrero, the celebration represents more than an evening of food and entertainment. It is an opportunity to teach younger generations about the cultures, customs and stories that connect them to their heritage.
“It’s important because we have to leave something for our generations to come,” he said. “If no one takes the time to do this and educate them, it’s not going to happen. Somebody has to do it — and that’s me.”
One of the evening’s colorful highlights came from the award-winning Viva Panama USA, a Jacksonville-based folkloric dance group. Dancers shared the music, clothing and movement of Panama through traditional performances that brought the country’s culture to life.
“We share traditions and folklore from the country of Panama,” said Ruby Nissenbaum, director of Viva Panama USA. “We were invited by the Hispanic Club here in Palm Coast, and we just like to share a little about our traditions and our customs, too.”
Nissenbaum said cultural traditions can be preserved in many ways, from dances and music to family jewelry and traditional clothing passed from one generation to the next.
“My mother did not have a lot of things, so my things were not really handed down, but I expect to hand them down to my grandchildren,” she said. “Some of us do have items of jewelry that are handed down from generation to generation, and also some of the dresses.”
Keeping those traditions alive, she added, helps people understand their roots while introducing others to the richness and diversity of cultures around them.
“It shows where you came from and helps make others aware of the cultures that are out there,” Nissenbaum said. “And we enjoy doing it. We like to dance.”
The celebration also reflected the Hispanic American Cultural Society’s broader mission of education, inclusion and community service. The Flagler County nonprofit hosts events throughout the year to raise money for scholarships benefiting local high school seniors.
Marrero emphasized that the scholarship program is open to students of all backgrounds. During its most recent scholarship cycle, the organization awarded four $1,000 scholarships to Hispanic students and four $1,000 scholarships to non-Hispanic students.
“We like to share the wealth,” Marrero said.
National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed annually from September 15 through October 15. It recognizes the histories, cultures, achievements and contributions of Americans with ancestry from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
The observance began as Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968 under President Lyndon B. Johnson. President Ronald Reagan expanded it to a 30-day observance in 1988, and the change was enacted into law on August 17 of that year.
The celebration embraces the diversity of both Hispanic and Latino communities. Although the terms are frequently used together, Hispanic generally refers to people with origins in Spain or Spanish-speaking countries, while Latino refers to people with origins in Latin America, regardless of language.
Saturday’s showcase offered its own joyful proclamation — one expressed through the swirl of traditional dresses, the flavors of authentic dishes and the rhythms that drew guests to the dance floor.
For Marrero and the Hispanic American Cultural Society, every shared meal, dance and story helps ensure those traditions continue to flourish — not only within Hispanic and Latino families, but throughout the community they call home.
The Palm Coast City Council is scheduled to proclaim September 15 through October 15, 2026, as Hispanic Heritage Month during its September 15 business meeting, and upcoming cultural events include the Latin Dinner and Dance on Saturday, October 3, 2026 at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church at 6 PM.
