Fiesta DC, now in its 49th year, is the annual Latino Festival in Washington D.C. One of the festival’s highlights, the “Parade of Nations,” featuring traditional costumes and entertainment from a variety of Latin American countries, took place up Constitution Ave. on Sept. 12. Latinos happen to be the fastest growing group in the District of Columbia, comprising over 11% of the population. Fiesta DC traditionally coincides with Hispanic Heritage Month.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser served as the honorary Parade Marshal. Until this day, the District had not permitted a public parade since 2019 due to the pandemic. The “Parade of Nations,” and the opening of last week’s DC Jazz Festival, are the latest signs that the District is beginning to return to “normal” with better times ahead.
View Jeff Malet’s photos from the 2021 Parade of Nations by clicking on the photo icons below.
Carolina Hernandez (right) and her students representing GET Dance Company and Colombia (photo by Jeff Malet)
The Marimonda is a character that originated in the town of Barranquila to represent a cross between an elephant and monkey (Columbia) (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Gloria Reyes Barros from New York City representing Ecuador (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Tinkus San Simon (Bolivia) (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Antonia Knight (age 6) Tiny Miss Maryland 2021 – representing Brazil (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Colombian dancer Pilar Becerra of Herndon Va. on Constitution Ave. in Washington D.C. Photo by Jeff Malet.
Tinkus San Simon (Bolivia) (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Fundacion Elena (Mexico) (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Los Rumberos is a Mexican musical band that fuses some traditional Latin American genres to make them more modern. (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Rebeca Zeballos-Vizarre of Alexandria Va. of Centro Cultural Bolivia (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Fiesta DC Miss Simpatia Giselle Vidal (Bolivia) (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Various biker groups pose for a group photo (Photo by Jeff Malet)
The Flag of El Salvador (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Representing the Army of El Salvador (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Lilly Castillo of Frederick Md. (Colombia) (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Rachel (age 12) from Frederick Md. (Colombia) (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Janice Montano of York Pa. for Morenada Bolivia-USAwearing red, yellow and green national colors (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Miguel Rosales of Plainfield Va. for Morenada Bolivia-USA (Annandale, Va.) (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Carlos of Va. for Morenada Bolivia-USA (Annandale, Va.) (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Cristina of Annandale, Va. (Bolivia) (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Carolina Hernandez representing GET Dance Company and Colombia. (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Comunidad Cultural Surandes Inc. in Woodbridge, Va. (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Comunidad Cultural Surandes Inc. in Woodbridge, Va. (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Isabella of Patterson N.J. marches with Tinkus San Simon (Bolivia). (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Miss Fiesta DC Domenica Valverda (Ecuador) and Fiesta DC Miss Simpatia Giselle Vidal (Bolivia) (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Fiesta DC Miss Simpatia Giselle Vidal (Bolivia) (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Marilyn of Washington D.C. :Nina Tepiciana of Washington D.C. (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Miss Fiesta DC Domenica Valverda of Rockville Md. (Ecuador) (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Miss Fiesta DC and Rudy Seikaly of MCN Build which constructed a new digital library in Parque Satelite, San Salvador. (Photo by Jeff Malet)
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser as Parade Grand Marshal (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Vava United School of Samba (Photo by Jeff Malet)
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser as Parade Grand Marshal (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Representing GET Dance Company and Colombia (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Domincan Republic (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Carlos of Va. for Morenada Bolivia-USA (Annandale, Va.) (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Jonothan Durant from Arlington Va. in Tovas costume – Centro Cultural de Bolivia (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Bolivia (Photo by Jeff Malet)
(Photo by Jeff Malet)
Bolivia (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Bolivia (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Representing Colombia (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Bolivia (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Tinkus San Simon (Bolivia )(Photo by Jeff Malet)
Calli of Hanover Md. with Vava United School of Samba (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Tinkus San Simon (Bolivia) (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Colombian candidate for Miss Fiesta DC Pilar Becerra of Herndon Va. (Photo by Jeff Malet) (Photo by Jeff Malet)
It’s Colombia not Columbia
We fixed the spelling. We thank you for correcting us.