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| Parade of Nations, Hola Festival 2011, Knoxville |
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| Mariachi Band, Hola Festival, Knoxville |
As promised, here are more of the great sights from the Hola Festival, Parade of Nations. To the best of my knowledge, I don't have an ounce of Latin blood, but it fills me with pride to see people so happy about their country of origin.
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| Hola Festival 2011 |
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| Hola Festival 2011 |
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| Parade of Nations, Hola Festival 2011, Knoxville |
The best analogy I have in my own experience is a trip I made to Japan a number of years ago. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and found the culture to be fascinating and admirable in many ways. I stayed with a Japanese family for a week and when the time came to leave I teared up. Still, a few days later in Tokyo, as I walked through a back-street food market, I heard the unmistakable sounds of Emmylou Harris singing the "Tennessee Waltz." I nearly cried.
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| Parade of Nations, Hola Festival 2011, Knoxville |
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| Hola Festival 2011 |
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| Hola Festival 2011 |
I've never been so proud of the place where I lived. It wasn't about any disregard for the place I was visiting, but there is something about the first place that ever meant "home." There's nothing like it. That's what I see in the Parade of Nations: People having one small chance outside their daily lives to raise a glass or lift a cheer for "home," and who among us can't relate to that?
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| Hola Festival 2011, Knoxville |
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| Hola Festival 2011, Knoxville |
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| Hola Festival 2011, Knoxville |
I hope you enjoy the pictures and feel a little of the joy of this marvelous day in the city.
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| Parade of Nations, Hola Festival 2011, Knoxville |
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| Parade of Nations, Hola Festival 2011, Knoxville |
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| Hola Festival 2011 |
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| Hola Festival 2011 |
Labels: Downtown Knoxville, Downtown Knoxville Blogs, Hola Festival 2011, Knoxville Tennessee, Parade of Nations, Regas Square
1 Comments:
You got that right, UG! You can appreciate the joy and pride of these young people and families when they got to share the diversity of our cultures. You can totally relate even if you are not Hispanic. These traditional clothes are hand made, works of art, that are treasured in the family, purchased abroad, and passed on down to the next generation... Some of these children have been in the parade since they were babies, and it is so much fun to see them grow! And yet others are American students who are experiencing "immersion learning." All together we had 85 participants in the Parade! A bit thanks to Knox County Schools and Saint John Newman for providing many many volunteers (230) for HOLA FESTIVAL! VIVA KNOXVILLE!!!!
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