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Celebration of culture: Carnaval takes stage at National Hispanic Cultural Center
Frank and Pilar Leto have brought Carnaval to the National Hispanic Cultural Center for 19 years.
Prior to the NHCC being its home, the Letos celebrated the cultural event around Albuquerque.
This year’s event is called “Comunidade” and is a thank-you to the community for the celebration.
One more event takes place at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the NHCC.
Carnaval is a celebration of life that occurs just before the Catholic observance of Lent, a time of fasting, praying and abstinence.
Carnaval revelers give thanks for the blessings in their lives through public events such as parades and street parties. Elaborate costumes and masks allow people to set aside their everyday individuality and experience a heightened sense of social unity. While celebrating with music and dance, participants often indulge in excessive consumption of alcohol, meat and other foods and activities that will be given up during the upcoming Lent.
It is celebrated in Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba and New Orleans.
More than 40 performers were expected to take the stage to celebrate Carnaval at the NHCC on Friday and Saturday.
