By Louis Zylka
The 830 Times
The annual Posada, Tamalada and Bailes y Cantos will take place at the Casa De La Cultura,
302 Cantu St., on Saturday, Dec. 13, from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The Casa De La Cultura hosts a free end-of-the-year celebration to bring the community
together to enjoy the holiday season through food, music and Mexican traditions.
Lupita De La Paz, executive director of the Casa De La Cultura, said the “big dinner” event has
been going on for over 20 years and is really popular, adding visitors fill up inside the Casa
every year.
The celebrations begin at 3 p.m. with the traditional “Posada,” where members of the Casa go
to nearby houses to re-enact Mary and Joseph’s search to find shelter before the birth of the
baby Jesus from the Bible Christmas story. A group of traditional dancers known as Matachines
will join the reenactments with music and dances.
Right after the Posada, the Tamalada portion of the celebrations begin, where guests can enjoy
tamales, a traditional Mexican dish, rice and beans, along with champurrado (Mexican hot
chocolate) and other holiday snacks. De La Paz said it has been a “community effort” to put the
event together, as people came together during the week and helped prepare more than 80
dozen tamales for the Saturday event.
During the Bailes y Cantos part of the event, people can enjoy music from the Casa’s guitar
class students at 5 p.m., dance performances from the Casa’s Ballet Folklorico dance group at
6 p.m. and additional music from La Calle 4 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Santa Claus will also visit the Casa later in the evening to give toys donated from the Noise For
Toys drive held on Nov. 29. Children and their families can take pictures with Santa and also
stay for face-painting activities.
