Alert:
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and Latino Conservation Week as we present a dynamic lineup of events and activities designed to honor the culture, stewardship and traditions of the Hispanic Community.
Farm Tour with Animal Meet and Greet
Frying Pan Farm Park
Saturday, September 21, 9 a.m.-Noon
Invasive Management Area Program-Invasive Plant Clean-Up in Spanish
Lake Accotink Park
Sunday, September 22, 9-11 a.m.
Family Day at Annandale Park
Saturday, September 14, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Salsa in the Park: A Celebration for Nature Conservation
Alabama Drive Park
September 20, 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Pleitez Produce Farm is located in Montross, VA. of her 100-acre farm. Astrid and her family are 3rd generation farmers and started their business in 2002 on 20 acres of land with four employees. Now, they have a 20-person crew and farm over 100 acres! They are a non-GMO/GES farm with a large variety of crops. Along with their field crops, Astrid and her family have 10+ greenhouses on their farm that stay warm all throughout the winter. That means peppers, broccoli, and greens will continue showing up at the Market through the colder months. You can find Pleitez Produce on Saturday mornings at the Burke Farmers Market!
F.J. Medina & Sons Farm has been growing and selling fruits and vegetables since 2006 on their 45+ acre farm in Montross, VA. At the Wakefield, Annandale, and McLean Markets, Karla and her team sell 8+ varieties of cherry tomatoes, sweet corn, eggplant, squash and much more! Karla, co-owner of the farm, grew up in Mexico and moved to the US when she was young. Reflecting on her heritage, some of her favorite memories and traditions include family gatherings and eating Pozole, a pork and hominy stew. Karla's love of good food has stayed with her and is what fuels her passion for this business. "We care what our customers eat." Providing fresh, local produce to the community has been and always will be F.J. Medina & Sons' goal. Check them out at the Wakefield, Annandale, and McLean Farmers Markets!
Meet Mauricio, co-owner of Ana's Twist. Mauricio and his wife, Ana, started the business to share Ecuadorian food with others. Their juices, tamales, soups, and sorbets are based on recipes from Mauricio's wife and his 105-year-old grandmother, whose name is also Ana! Ecuador has some of the world's widest varieties of fruits and vegetables, which you can find in Ana's juices and products. One of Mauricio's favorite products is their empanadas. While there are many different types of empanadas, Ecuadorian empanadas are different because they use different types of flour, such as cassava, green plantain, yellow plantain, corn, hominy, chickpea, and rice. This means that some of Ana's Twist's empanadas are naturally gluten-free. Ecuadorian empanadas can also be filled with a sweet guava paste or sprinkled with sugar. In fact, the most popular empanadas in Ecuador are empanadas de viento which are filled with cheese topped with sugar. You can find Ana's Twist at the Oakmont, Annadale, and Kingstowne Farmers Markets. Stop by and say hello!
Salsa Las Glorias is a family-run business that has been selling fresh, delicious salsa for 15 years! Owner Lilia Castano grew up in Guadalajara, Mexico, where she raised her family, including her son Fernando. Shortly after moving to the U.S., Lilia's mom encouraged her to make and sell salsa after being laid off. The business, named after Lilia's mom, took off once people tasted the variety of salsas offered. A customer favorite is the green tomatillo salsa-- it's made with local ingredients, no additives such as water or vinegar, and is packed with flavor. Pick up a container and use it in this simple weeknight dinner recipe. Thanks for sharing, Lilia!
Ingredients:
Directions:
You can find Salsa Las Glorias at the Mount Vernon, Kingstowne, and Burke Farmers Markets.
Join the month-long celebration through meaningful volunteer opportunities, community projects and partnerships that honor Latino culture and environmental stewardship. Connect with local organizations, participate in hands-on conservation efforts and help preserve our parks while celebrating the rich heritage and contributions of the Latino community.
Connecting Parks and Community Through Volunteer Opportunities
Use your talents, energy and time to connect. With your help, we can do more! Far more than just doing a good deed, volunteering is a way to develop skills, learn about career options, make professional contacts, socialize and have an impact on your community.
Stronger Together: Partnering with Local Organization to Honor Latino Conservation and Heritage in Fairfax County Parks
Through collaborative partnerships with local organizations, the Fairfax County Park Authority is proud to celebrate and unite our community in efforts to preserve the environment and honor the heritage of the Latino community.
"On behalf of the Culmore community we are thankful for the contributions that the Park Authority provides annually during Culmore Day to our great Hispanic community.
With so many years working in the Latino immigrant community of Culmore, the families enjoy and participate in many programs through the Parktakes magazine. They take advantage of the swimming lessons for their kids, summer camps and festivals in the park. Our Latino families enjoy it so much!
Thank you for Honoring Hispanic Heritage Month."
"For the past seven years, as a member of the Outreach and Engagement team, I have had the opportunity to collaborate closely with the Park Authority team on various community initiatives, which significantly broadened my understanding of community engagement and partnership building. Through this collaboration, we have been able to enhance accessibility to public spaces for underrepresented communities, addressing cultural, linguistic, and economic barriers. By working alongside the Park Authority, I gained valuable insights into how public spaces can serve as critical platforms for promoting health, well-being, and social cohesion. This partnership allowed me to leverage community feedback and co-create programs that catered to the diverse needs of our community, while also strengthening relationships with key stakeholders to foster long-term, sustainable engagement. Thank you so much for all you do!"
Bring the whole family to Fairfax County Parks to celebrate Latino Conservation Week and Hispanic Heritage Month. Enjoy peaceful nature walks, picnics in the park and time spent exploring park scenery while connecting with nature.
Family and Community Gatherings
Bring your family for a relaxing picnic in the park, where you can enjoy good company, beautiful scenery and the vibrant culture that surrounds you.
Parks ARE for Everyone!
Explore amenities and park features in your neighborhood.
Find A Park Near You
The Fairfax County Park Authority preserves open space, environmentally sensitive land, historic and cultural sites and provides a wide array of fitness, recreation and park services. These include Rec Centers, golf courses, nature centers, dog parks, lakefront parks, playgrounds, historic sites, trails, and numerous recreational facilities, with 90% of residents living within a half-mile of parkland.
Clases en Espanol
Explore exciting classes offered in Spanish at our Rec Centers, loaded with fitness, fun and learning!
Join us as we shine a spotlight on the inspiring stories of Latino and Hispanic staff members within the Fairfax County Park Authority, celebrating their heritage, contributions and passion for parks!
"Since joining the FCPA Natural Resources Branch I've been able to meet and connect with other Latinas and minorities working in the ecological conservation and natural resources management field, like I hadn’t before. I'm looking forward to meeting and working with more during my time with FCPA."
"I had a super cool moment when I realized for the first time in my life, I was meeting with three other women of color who also work on natural resource management and the protection of native wildlife habitat. In that moment, I celebrated my being Latina and being a woman of color working to take care of Mother Earth together."
"Colombians have always been enthusiasts of the outdoors, always taking full advantage of being able to get outside which is a big part of our culture. Given the privilege and opportunity to work outside by taking pride and using my skill sets in helping maintain Fairfax County's Parks and trails systems for the Hispanic community as well as all residents to be able to enjoy has been a wonderful experience. By doing so, we at FCPA are giving all cultures the chance to practice unity through the outdoors."
"Working at FCPA has allowed me to connect to the Latinx culture in new ways, allowing me to advocate and promote my heritage. Thanks to a supportive team I've been able to provide community-focused programs and events that foster Latinx engagement in nature. Most importantly, I've strengthened partnerships, and provided educational experiences where young Latinos can see themselves represented and inspired in the environmental field."
"Being a professional at FCPA is a rewarding experience because I get to pass on my knowledge of the game to a multicultural group of people. I also feel proud because, coming from the Latino community where golf is not as popular, FCPA gives me the chance to grow the game and encourage my fellow Latinos y Latinas to experience the peace that the game offers. I'll leave you with a slogan a made up — Grande Ole Leyendas Fantastico"
"Being a Parks and Rec professional at FCPA allows me to share my experiences and passion for parks with my family, friends and others inspiring them to explore similar careers. I take pride in promoting the service FCPA provides. Parks are clean, safe, and welcoming for everyone to enjoy"
"Being a Parks and Rec professional at FCPA means working in a family-like atmosphere where I can share my culture with coworkers, communicate with Spanish-speaking visitors, and ensure clean, safe park amenities for everyone, celebrating all cultural backgrounds."
"Working with the Park Authority, allows you to celebrate your culture by connecting with nature that is a fundamental aspect of many cultures. Parks often serve as gathering places for culture events, festivals and traditions, allowing you to share and express your heritage. Through environmental stewardship, conservation efforts and educational stewardship, you can honor and promote the values of respect for the land, sustainability and community involvement that are deeply rooted in many cultures. Additionally, it provides an opportunity to introduce others to your cultural practiced in an inclusive, natural setting. Is knowing that the most wonderful things about life is that you can always begin again. No matter what ups and down you are handed in life today, you can always begin again tomorrow."
"It's rewarding to maintain the integrity of the park and give back to the Latino community by creating inclusive spaces and ensuring that our parks are open to all. With Spanish signs promoting outdoor activity, it is appreciated that FCPA recognizes my heritage."
"I started professional career with FCPA as a Lifeguard at Providence Rec Center back in 2001, and after years and working with other professionals, I was able to get a full-time position as the Aquatics Assistant, then as Aquatics Director, and now Providence Rec Center Manager. The Park Authority has given many things to my professional career. I was born and raised in EL Salvador and came to the United States at the age of 14; Falls Church has been my hometown. I'm so happy to be able to speak two languages that help serve those that only speak Spanish and be able to explain to them all the offering we have not only at the Rec Centers but also at the different parks throughout the county. It's so rewarding when people come into the Rec Center, they know me by name and ask to speak with me to help them with any type of registration or questions about memberships; at the same time I can educate and explain to these Spanish speakers the rules and policies of the Rec Center, so they can enjoy these spaces better. I'm honored to represent my heritage in an agency that serves multicultural backgrounds, but especially those that speaks Spanish,"
"Comencé mi carrera profesional con la FCPA como salvavidas en Providence Rec Center en 2001, y después de años y de trabajar con otros profesionales, pude conseguir un puesto de tiempo completo como asistente del Director de Aquaticos, luego como Director de Acuáticos y ahora soy Gerente General de Providence Rec Center, El Park Authority ha aportado muchas cosas a mi carrera profesional. Nací y crecí en EL Salvador y llegué a los Estados Unidos a los 14 años; Falls Church ha sido la ciudad que me recivio. Estoy muy feliz de poder hablar dos idiomas que ayudan a atender a aquellos que solo hablan español y poder explicarles toda lo que ofresecemos en los Rec Cneters, sino también en los diferentes parques a lo largo del condado. Es muy gratificante cuando la gente viene al Rec Center y me conocen por mi nombre y piden hablar conmigo para ayudarlos con cualquier tipo preguntas sobre membresías y ayudarles con la registracion para classes, al mismo tiempo puedo educar y explicar a estos hispanohablantes las reglas y políticas del Rec Center, para que puedan disfrutar mejor de estos servicios Es un honor para mí representar mi herencia en una agencia que atiende a persona multiculturales, pero especialmente a aquellos que hablan español," Boris Arévalo, gerente del Providence Rec Center."