In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month and Mexican Independence Day, the Aquarium of the Pacific will host its sixth annual Baja Splash Cultural Festival on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 8 and 9 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Discover the beauty and diversity of Hispanic cultures through live dance, music, art, storytelling and crafts.
The event for the whole family will feature environmental educational programs, including bilingual underwater presentations with divers, interactive children’s programs, ethnic food, and much more. Aquarium guests will also be able to pick up a free admission ticket for the Museum of Latin American art at their festival booth.
This year’s Baja Splash will also highlight surfing in Mexico and Peru, where the sport is a national pastime. Through special programs and a film, guests will learn how catching that perfect wave brings cultures together as well as how they can help conserve the beaches and oceans.
Mexican, Peruvian and Salvadorian folkloric dance performances, Aztec dancers and other entertainers will perform in front of the Aquarium’s tallest exhibit, the Blue Cavern, home to leopard sharks, giant sea bass, rays, and other denizens of the deep. The live musical entertainment will also include Mexican mariachi and Guatemalan marimba.
The aquarium’s Marine Life Theater will feature interactive Mexican storytelling, music, and dance programs for families. Guests can also savor ethnic cuisine from Peru, Mexico and El Salvador and partake in children’s crafts.
The Aquarium of the Pacific is located at 100 Aquarium Way in Long Beach. For tickets and more information, call (562) 590-3100 or visit www.aquariumofpacific.org.
